🔅 Ex-President Causes A Stir With His Jogging & AfDB To Curb Food Insecurity
Plus, Benin's Deadly Fire & Macron Pulls Troops Out Of Niger
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Home in Siby, A Few Kms From Bamako, Mali
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South Africa's Central Bank Holds Rates and Gives the Government a Nudge: South Africa’s central bank decided to keep interest rates the same for longer because of persistent inflation. The governor of the central bank is urging the government to do their part in fighting inflation by, you know, not spending all their money and giving state workers reasonable pay increases.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five
How the AfDB is Tackling Food Security in Africa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is making big moves to address food insecurity and climate change in Africa. With programs in over 30 countries, the bank has already helped produce $12 billion worth of food and is well on its way to reaching its $25 billion objective. And the bank's president, Akinwumi Adesina, is confident that Africa will achieve food security in the next five years. In Nigeria alone, the uptake of special agro-industrial processing zones could expand from eight states to 35 (these zones provide infrastructure for food and agribusiness companies to thrive in rural areas). Adesina also expects the International Monetary Fund to channel $100 billion in lending to vulnerable countries through multilateral development banks before the global climate talks in Dubai in November.
Ex-President Lungu's Jogging Sessions: A Workout or Political Activism?
Looks like former President Lungu's jogging habits are causing quite a stir in Zambia. The police have warned him against his public exercise sessions, claiming they're actually "political activism." Apparently, Lungu's workouts with his political party, sans security officers, are considered "unlawful assembly." Talk about a tough workout... The police have ordered him to notify them in advance if he wants to go for a jog in the future. And to make matters even more interesting, Lungu recently took the government to court for allegedly blocking his trip to South Korea, although he later dropped the case. He is believed to want to run again for president in the upcoming 2026 elections.
Gasoline Inferno: Benin's Deadly Fire
A fire in Benin's capital has left at least 35 people dead and a trail of destruction in its wake. The blaze, which broke out in a commercial building known for storing and handling gasoline, quickly spread to nearby cars and motorcycles, leaving behind a charred mess. The cause? Most likely the unloading of contraband gasoline. While a few lucky individuals were rescued by passersby, the death toll includes one child and several injured. Officials are scrambling to figure out what went wrong and who's to blame, with a crisis unit set up to gather information and provide support to victims' families. Local authorities are also pointing the finger at the wider trade of contraband gasoline, saying it's time to crack down on this dangerous practice.
Somalia's Security Slip-Up: Time to Hit Pause on UN Troop Drawdown?
The United Nations may need to hit the pause button on its planned drawdown of 3,000 African Union peacekeepers in Somalia. Why? Because a recent militant attack forced Somali security forces to retreat from several recently captured towns. The AU Mission in Somalia was supposed to withdraw another 3,000 troops by September 30th, reducing its military personnel to 14,626. But in a letter to the UN Security Council, Somalia's National Security Adviser Hussein Sheikh Ali said that recent setbacks in the country's year-long campaign against al Shabaab militants have left their forces stretched thin and in need of a break. The government hasn't even given a death toll for the August 26th attack that triggered this whole mess, but one former official says it could be as high as 130 soldiers.
French Exit: Macron Pulls Troops Out of Niger
President Emmanuel Macron has announced that 1,500 troops will be packing their berets and heading out by the end of the year following a coup in the West African country. Macron made it clear that France refuses to be "held hostage by the putschists" although he will coordinate his troop's withdrawal with the coup leaders. The ambassador will be leaving also, and returning to France within "hours," Macron added. This exit may give Russia an opportunity to expand its influence in Africa, as they already have a presence in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso through Wagner Group. Overall, it's not looking great for France's influence in West Africa, and anti-French sentiment has been growing in the region.
Food for Thought
“The most beautiful fig may contain a worm.”
— Zulu Proverb.
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