🔅 Rwanda’s (and Africa’s) Vaccine Boost
Plus: Is Amarula The World's Most Philanthropic Booze Brand?, Botswana's Ex-President Says Government Wants to Arrest Him, Are Talks Between Ethiopia and OLA Rebels On the Table?, And much more... ☕
Photo of the day: Clifton Beach, South Africa.
Markets:
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Global Markets: Alibaba's Jack Ma is Back | Chinese tech giant Alibaba is splitting into six units and exploring listings or fundraisings for most of them—a major revamp that has investors hoping that Beijing's crackdown on the corporate sector is finally over. This comes after founder Jack Ma made a dramatic return to the country after being missing in action for months. Ma had been targeted during the crackdown period, and was spotted in Hangzhou just one day before the restructuring was announced. The light at the end of the tunnel seems to be in sight, with many analysts believing that the reorganization is a sign that the tech giant is back in the good graces of the Chinese government. Alibaba shares surged in response to the news, leading broader markets higher.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
HEALTH
Rwanda’s (and Africa’s) Vaccine Boost
A couple of weeks ago, seven mobile vaccine production units made by German pharma company BioNTech arrived in Rwanda.
They're actually made from recycled shipping containers, and are part of BioNTech's mission to create a vaccine production hub in Africa for a variety of illnesses.
The units are called BioNTainers (get it?), and are capable of producing up to 100 million mRNA vaccines per year.
Apart from the Covid-19 vaccine, the containers will also pioneer treatments for malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and even cancer.
Who’s running the show?
The vaccine doses they produce will be distributed across the 55-member African Union bloc.
So, is this part of a larger trend?
Yes, the containers in Rwanda are just the first of three slated for Africa. Deliveries are also planned for South Africa and Senegal.
By establishing mobile mRNA vaccine production capabilities in Africa, BioNTech is decentralising vaccine distribution, and providing a sustainable solution to their access, further strengthening healthcare infrastructure in the region.
From the outset, the containers appear to showcase the power of science, humanity and partnership.
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OTHER HEADLINES
Across the Continent
🇿🇦 Amarula: The World's Most Philanthropic Booze Brand? | Amarula: You’ve seen it in your local bar, the elephant on its label as recognizable as any logo. But it’s not just the cream liqueur’s subtle earthiness that’s got everyone from London to Santiago so taken with it. It’s also the philanthropy that’s come along with it. The African-born booze brand first hit shelves in 1989, made with the marula tree fruit native to Sub-Saharan Africa. But it wasn’t until 1994 that Amarula began to see wide international distribution, and 2009 that it won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. But the story doesn’t end there. Amarula’s been busy protecting the African bush elephant, the animal on its label. The brand’s Amarula Elephant Research Program works with researchers to study the animals’ movement and behaviour. Plus, Amarula’s partnered with HERD, a refuge outside of Hoedspruit, South Africa, devoted to the care of orphaned elephants. Otherwise, what’s next for Amarula? Well, apparently, they're going into gin. Cheers to one of the world’s most philanthropic booze brands.
🇧🇼Botswana's Ex-President Khama Claims He'll Be Arrested | A former president's claim that he'll be arrested and poisoned if he returns to Botswana was quickly dismissed by the government as “outrageous and unfortunate”. Ian Khama, who served as president from 2008 to 2018, told the AFP news agency that he was aware of a plan to arrest and poison him upon arriving home from South Africa. The 70-year-old Khama believes that the government fears his influence ahead of next year’s general elections. The Botswana government denies the allegations, calling them “politically motivated”. Khama’s ongoing rivalry with his handpicked successor, Mokgweetsi Masisi, has been well-documented. Khama has vowed to dethrone Masisi and join other parties to ensure that Masisi and his party lose the elections. In December last year, Botswana issued an arrest warrant for Khama, alleging unlawful possession of firearms.
🇪🇹 Are Talks Between Ethiopia and OLA Rebels On the Table? | Ethiopia is trying to make nice with the Oromo Liberation Army, a rebel group operating in the Oromia region. The Prime Minister says they’ve made ten attempts to contact the group and open a dialogue, but the OLA isn’t too keen. They’ve called the ten attempts “not genuine” and say they’ll only talk if an international third-party mediator is involved. The OLA has been accused of carrying out mass killings against ethnic minorities, but they’ve rejected most of the accusations and blamed the attacks on federal forces. To add fuel to the fire, the federal forces have conducted frequent airstrikes against the rebel group, also causing civilian casualties. The Tigray conflict also saw a short-lived alliance between the OLA and the Tigray forces, but the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front agreed to a peace deal with the government, and has since been removed from Ethiopia’s list of designated terror groups.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“A chattering bird builds no nest.”
— Cameroonian Proverb.