🔅 From Private Oil Deals to Telecom Tussles: Africa's High-Stakes Battles
South Sudan's Billion-Dollar Loan, a Cricketer's Wild Encounters, and Congo's Connectivity Conundrum
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Abu Dhabi Royal Family Member Inks Massive Oil-for-Cash Deal with South Sudan
A relatively unknown company led by a distant relative of the Abu Dhabi royal family has agreed to lend a staggering $12.9 billion to South Sudan in exchange for oil.Â
This mammoth crude-for-cash deal is one of the largest of its kind, ever:
To put the scale of this deal into perspective, the loan amount is nearly double South Sudan's entire gross domestic product. The country, which has been grappling with famine and conflict, now finds itself in a precarious position.
According to an unpublished report by a panel of United Nations-appointed investigators, a loan of this magnitude – roughly five times the country's current external debt – would tie up most of South Sudan's oil revenues for years to come.
The deal has sparked questions about the long-term implications for South Sudan's economy and its ability to manage such a significant debt burden. Critics argue that the arrangement could further exacerbate the country's dependence on oil exports and limit its capacity to invest in other sectors or address pressing social and infrastructural needs.
Moreover, the involvement of a company with ties to the Abu Dhabi royal family has raised concerns about transparency.Â
Former Zimbabwe Test Cricketer Survives Leopard Attack... After a Crocodile Attack
Guy Whittall, a former Zimbabwe cricketer known for his incredible "century average" of 623 in Test cricket, has had his fair share of wild encounters.
In 2013, he woke up to find an eight-foot, 165 kg Nile crocodile lurking under his bed at the Humani Ranch game reserve. After a bit of wrestling, Whittall and his colleagues managed to return the unwelcome visitor to the wild.
Fast-forward to April 23, 2023, and Whittall finds himself in another life-threatening situation when he is attacked by a wounded leopard. Fortunately, his loyal dog Chikara comes to the rescue, although both Whittall and Chikara suffer injuries in the process.
Whittall's wife, Hannah Stooks Whittall, shared the harrowing tale on Facebook, revealing that her husband had lost a lot of blood and would undergo surgery.
During his cricketing career, Whittall played 46 Tests for Zimbabwe, scoring 2,207 runs at an average of 29.42 and taking 51 wickets at 40.94. His most impressive stat, however, remains his "century average" of 623, the highest in the history of Test cricket.
However, while Whittall's cricketing achievements are impressive, his encounters with wild animals have undoubtedly added an extra layer of excitement to his life.
Congo's Telecom Tug-of-War: Connectivity vs. Taxes
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where only a quarter of the population has internet access, telecom giants like Orange and Airtel are rushing in to tap the growth potential of this mineral-rich nation.
But there's a catch: the government wants a bigger piece of the pie.
The standoff between the state and the telecom giants has been a long and winding road, with the government even confiscating passports of telecom managers and preventing one executive from seeking medical care abroad. Talk about a communication breakdown!
After months of wrangling and enlisting the help of overseas consultants (which didn't go well, by the way), the companies finally reached a deal with the regulator, agreeing to pay an extra $585 million to the Congo government through 2030. It's a win for the government's coffers, but it will most likely end up being a setback for the average Congolese citizen, who may now have to wait for the telco firms to roll out reliable infrastructure and, thus, affordable internet access.
Food for Thought
“When you show the moon to a child, it sees only your finger."
— Zambian Proverb