Caribbean countries get access to Africa Medical Supplies Platform for procurement of COVID-19 supplies

Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have been given access to the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP), a procurement system for supplies and equipment in the fight against COVID-19.  The AMSP unlocks immediate access to an African and global base of vetted manufacturers and procurement strategic partners.  It enables African Union Member States to…

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Econet launches the first low-cost KaiOS-enabled 3G phone in Zimbabwe

3G phone comes bundled with 3-month free data Econet Wireless has partnered with KaiOS Technologies, a leading maker of mobile operating systems for feature smart phones, to  launch the ‘Atom 3G’ phone – the country’s first 3G smart feature phone, that is set to help millions of Zimbabweans to access the Internet and become digitally…

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Multilateral development banks and the World Trade Organization (WTO) supporting trade finance during the COVID-19 crisis

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, multilateral development banks have stepped up trade finance programs to support essential imports and key exports The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked the deepest economic downturn of our lifetimes. In addition to the ongoing shocks to supply and demand, international trade has been affected by a reduction in the…

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Government’s project implementation under the 100-day cycle programme well on course

The government says its project implementation under the 100-day cycle programme is expected to move the country forward as it aspires to attain Vision 2030 for the benefit of the citizens. For that reason, a senior government official said it is a collective responsibility to ensure the best use of available resources for the betterment…

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‘We are ready to step up, involve us more’ – African youth tells the PAP

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) held its first virtual public lecture on 30 June 2020 under the theme: “The Role of the African Youth in Achieving the Mandate of the PAP”. Young Africans who took part in the engagement with members of the continental Parliament signaled the youths’ readiness to participate in the building of the…

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African Sun’s Troutbeck Inn reopens

By Anyway Yotamu African Sun Hotels and Resorts has announced the reopening of its Troutbeck Resort in Nyanga the Eastern Highlands after three months’ closure. The Group Marketing, Public Relations, and Innovation Manager, Ms. Karen Dhliwayo said in a statement to the media Tuesday, from the 1st July 2020 Troutbeck Resort in Nyang reopens after…

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Econet responds to Cyclone Idai emergency with $5 million

Masiyiwa donates 120 000 Test Kits and border laboratories to Zimbabwe

UK-based Econet founder and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa, who also serves as AU Special Envoy for COVID-19, has donated 120 000 Test Kits to Zimbabwe, along with Mobile Test Laboratories to be used at the country’s border posts. The donation of Test Kits also includes 50 000 of the highly accurate PCR type Test,  used by…

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MultiChoice Group Joins the UN as Official African Media Supporter for Global COVID-19 Campaign

The MultiChoice Group is proud to announce its latest initiative in the fight against COVID-19.  The group has supported a number of initiatives in the fight against the spread of the pandemic which continues to wreak havoc across the globe, and it is being acutely felt across Africa. Early in the spread of the pandemic…

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Shortlist announced for the World Trade Promotion Organization Awards 2020

The International Trade Centre (ITC) yesterday announced that 18 national trade promotion organizations have been shortlisted for the 2020 World Trade Promotion Organization (WTPO) Awards. The shortlisted organizations are competing in three categories: ·       Best use of a partnership – Colombia, Egypt, Sweden, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Netherlands, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe; ·       Best use of information…

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10 Wonderful Examples Of Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) For Good

By Bernard Marr One of the many benefits of using artificial intelligence (AI) is to help us view societal problems from a different perspective. While there’s been much hubbub about how AI might be misused, we must not overlook the many ways AI can be used for good. Our global issues are complex, and AI provides us…

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COVID-19: Debt and investment transparency for better outcomes

By DAVID MALPASS Since the COVID-19 outbreak, developing economies have suffered unprecedented capital outflows. To reverse these outflows and make debt and investment more productive, it is critical to embrace strong principles of debt and investment transparency. Such transparency involves many difficult steps, but today we’re taking an important one: we are disclosing new information on the…

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Government and private sector to construct 200 000 affordable houses countrywide

By Anyway Yotamu The government, in partnership with the private sector, has started the development of 2 200 stands on KockMallock estate in Norton, with roads now being tarred and sewer pipes laid, while the foundations of the first batch of three-bedroomed houses are under construction. The government has plans to construct all the 200…

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Masiyiwa in COVID-19 Home-Based care initiative: gives US$50 monthly support to help victims

Invites victims to step forward and get assistance for 3 months Worried that there are people suffering at home from COVID-19 that have not come forward, Strive Masiyiwa, through his Higher Life Foundation (HLF), called upon them to come forward on their own and report their status so that they can get assistance worth US$50…

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To what extent does the market inform production decisions?

In the course of working with African mass markets, eMKambo continues to notice several nuances that inform the production of different agricultural commodities, among other patterns. A recent study focused on figuring out the extent to which the market informs production decisions among African smallholder farmers. There are strong indications that most production decisions are supply-driven not…

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Vela welcomes High Court judgment setting aside the AG-BDO report

…Vows to fight smear campaign Former National Social Security Authority (NSSA) chairperson Robin Vela has pledged to continue to fight abuse of power, political expediency and overreach, and corruption after a landmark court judgment vindicated him. Hailing the damning High Court ruling which found that adverse findings and conclusions relating to him in an Auditor-General…

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It’s Not Sanctions, It’s Corruption and Lack of Reform

Op-ed by Ambassador Brian A. Nichols first published in the Newsday on October 24, 2019 Blessed with abundant mineral resources, rich farmlands, ideal weather, stunning national parks, and a well-educated, industrious people, Zimbabwe should be the economic powerhouse and the breadbasket of southern Africa, and even more popular as a tourist destination and business investment opportunity, as…

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Transparency International celebrates World Whistleblower Day

On Wednesday, Transparency International celebrated World Whistleblower Day. Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Sergey Magnitsky are just the best-known of the many people who have risked everything to do the right thing and challenge the status quo against all odds. It’s rarely been clearer that calling out wrongdoing and exposing the truth can save lives. Dozens of cases of mismanagement…

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Digital finance systems foster macro-economic health globally: ZIMCODD

The Zimbabwe Coalition od Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) has underscored the fact that digital finance systems are playing an increasing role in macro-economic health globally. The statement came after the government had given a Press Release on the Suspension of Monetary Transactions on Mobile Based Money Platforms (One Money, MyCash, Ecocash, and Telecash) dated 26…

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AfDB approves 100.5 million euros budget support for COVID-19

The loan will support the central African nation’s Budget Support Programme in Response to the COVID-19 Crisis or PABURC, which aims to strengthen the health system The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (https://www.AfDB.org/) has approved a 100.5 million euros loan to the government of Gabon as budget support to mitigate against the…

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Saving lives is more important than re-opening schools: PTUZ

By Ronnie Chisamba The Mashonaland East chapter of the Progressive Teachers Union Of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has expressed concern over the government’s plans to re-open the country’s schools in the wake of a sharp increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19. Addressing parents during a consultative meeting at Mbuya Nehanda Hall in Marondera on Wednesday, Progressive Teachers…

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HLF steps up Testing in Zimbabwe with free testing for the poor

Businessman and Africa Union Special Envoy Strive Masiyiwa has announced free COVID-19 testing in Zimbabwe, along with ramped up testing for the broader population at cost, through his Higherlife Foundation (HLF) and Testing Alliance. The billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist wrote: #Free Testing in Zimbabwe! Starting today, any Zimbabwean who wants a COVID-19 test can get…

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Cassava Fintech International launches SASAI Health Status Report as it steps up fight against COVID-19

Healthtech platform set to offer handy solution to tackle epidemic Report to assist employers, businesses safely get employees back to work London – June 24, 2020: Cassava Fintech International (CFI), a subsidiary of the Econet Group, has launched the SASAI Health Status Report (SHSR), a secure blockchain technology-supported solution expected to digitize the testing process,…

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PAP called upon to promote continental policies in the context of COVID-19

African Union (AU) specialized institutions and committees have turned to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to advocate for the domestication of policies adopted at continental level and aimed at mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on key African socio-economic sectors. This includes civil aviation and labour migration around the continent. Members of the PAP Permanent…

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Masiyiwa ventilators now in the country, ready for distribution

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ventilator suites that were donated by businessman and Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa are now in the country ready to be deployed. Through his Higher Life Foundation Zimbabwe, working with some donor partners, Mr Masiyiwa acquired 45 ventilators suites to be distributed to Zimbabwe’s public hospitals. The ventilator suites were manufactured…

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COVID-19 Hub to support global scientific response launched

As the UN warns of an impending global food emergency, researchers in health, nutrition and agriculture have united to support COVID-19 response, recovery and resilience. Montpellier, FRANCE, June 23, 2020 – Leading researchers across health, nutrition and agriculture have launched a new COVID-19 hub to consolidate existing scientific evidence and support response, recovery and resilience…

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ZTA engages expert on service excellence

he Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and the tourism industry in partnership with the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) will  host a Service Excellence Training Webinar on Wednesday.   The ZTA Acting Chief Executive, Givemore Chidzidzi said the sector remains optimistic that it will bounce back post-COVID-19 through investing in human capital and service excellence as part…

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Assessing the COVID-19 impact on SMEs and preparing for a new normal

By ITC News • International Trade Centre’s 2020 SME Competitiveness Outlook reveals profound disruptions to global supply chains• Global loss of manufacturing export due to lockdowns in the three global supply-chain hubs – China, the EU, and the US – will amount to $126 billion in losses in 2020• Almost 55% of SMEs say pandemic…

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Providing disability-inclusive education is challenging but worth it.

By Manos Antoninis Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa get bad press for their progress in providing inclusive education. Just two in three children complete primary school on time, while the number of out-of-school children and youth is 97 million and growing. Less is said, however, about the range of tools many countries in the region are deploying…

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COVID-19 diagnostics—not at the expense of other diseases

Priya Venkatesan The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating, with WHO reporting 4·9 million cases and 322 000 deaths globally as of May 21, 2020. What also shows no sign of abating is the ferocious reactive response to the pandemic—academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and governments alike have turned almost their whole focus to COVID-19…

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Retail shops reject the local currency

By Habakkuk Trust Reports coming in from Habakkuk Trust Community Advocacy Action Teams in Matabeleland Province indicate that a significant number of shops are refusing to transact in local currency. Shops in Umzingwane and Matobo Districts are reportedly refusing to accept payments in local currency, a move that has left some communities stranded. The deepening…

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Qualcomm pushes 5G to lower-tier smartphones

Qualcomm made good on a pledge to drive 5G into mass-market devices by incorporating the technology into its 6-series chipset, predicting this would address growing demand for next-generation services. In a briefing, Qualcomm senior director of product management Deepu John argued 5G is “more than simply” a next-generation leap, with the technology enabling the vendor…

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Times of Unprecedented Crisis present Unique Opportunities for Unprecedented Action

By Graça Machel, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr. Vera Songwe, Maria Ramos COVID 19 has unearthed massive inequalities within our societies and brought to glaring light the unique burdens which women carry the world over. Allocation of response resources should be targeted towards the immediate needs of managing the virus as well as future-looking to simultaneously…

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African Parliamentarians aim for increased health budgets amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has urged its members to ensure that African Union (AU) member states allocate adequate funding to cater for healthcare systems when budgets are submitted to Parliaments for consideration. The call follows a briefing to members of the PAP Committees on Health and Gender by the Africa CDC, which revealed that inadequate…

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Donors allocate additional funds to the Health Development Fund in Zimbabwe

The European Union (EU) and Sweden have provided significant new funding to the multi-donor Health Development Fund (HDF) – managed by UNICEF and UNFPA. The HDF supports health system strengthening in Zimbabwe since its inception in 2011 under the Health Transition Fund. The EU has  provided new funds amounting to over USD 41 million as…

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Government outlines measures to ensure safety when schools reopen

By Anyway Yotamu The government continues to put in place intervention measures to increase the capacity to fight the coronavirus pandemic as infections stood at 387 on Monday. Addressing journalists after the Covid-19 inter-ministerial Taskforce meeting at State House in Harare this Monday, Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said the government…

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Zimnat continues to make life better for the elderly

Zimnat has lived to its promise to continuously support the elderly by providing free motor insurance cover for some of Melfort Old People’s Home vehicles for the year 2020, a continuation from 2019. Located along Mutare Road, in Harare, Melfort Old People’s Home, which is registered with Help Age, accommodates up to 60 elderly residents,…

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Germany helps African countries maintain drought insurance in view of COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the German government assumes premium payments of around EUR 19 million for the drought insurance offered by the African Risk Capacity (ARC). This will reliably protect up to 20 million poor and vulnerable people in Africa against drought in the coming agricultural season and mitigate the risk of a…

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Prospectors urge Ministry of Mines to put their house in order

The Zimbabwe Prospectors Association (Z.P.A) is urging the Ministry of Mines to improve its systems of operations across all mining provinces. The association argues that there are a lot of problems that require serious attention if the mining industry is to improve in production, efficiency, and effectiveness. “The pertinent issues range from delays in the…

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Communities seek fine reprieve on livestock

Communities surrounding Matobo National Park are seeking a reprieve on fines paid when their livestock encroach into the Park boundary. This plea comes after the Parks authorities unilaterally increased fines from ZWL6 per day for each beast that encroaches into the National Park to ZWL50 which is beyond the reach of many villagers whose livelihoods were dependent…

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DRC: COVID-19 continues to spread, with potentially deadly secondary impacts

Since Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared its first case of COVID-19 on March 10, the coronavirus has gradually spread across the country. Congolese authorities are working to reduce the spread of disease, especially in the capital, Kinshasa, with some 13 million residents. The government implemented preventive measures, including movement restrictions, a partial lockdown of…

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