🔅 Why is the Pope in Africa?
Plus: Idris Elba to set up in Tanzania, UK's economy is worse than Russia's, Rhino poaching at all-time high in Namibia, Liberia's Weah is running for re-election, And much more… ☕
Photo of the day: Day at the beach, Togo
Markets:
🔺 Nigerian SE: 53,238.67 (+0.15%)
🔻 Johannesburg SE: 79,510.97 (-1.01%)
🔻 Ghana SE: 2,354.02 (-0.23%)
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🔺 US S&P 500: 4,042.60 (+0.62%)
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IMF money for Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau: The International Monetary Fund and Cameroon have reached a staff-level agreement that will give the country access to around $74.6 million. Meanwhile, the IMF has also approved a $38.4 million extended credit facility for Guinea-Bissau. So, what does this mean for the citizens of these countries? The money should help Cameroon's economy reach a projected 4.3% growth this year. In contrast, for Guinea-Bissau, the funds should help the West African nation with its economic recovery and governance policies.
UK's Economy Slower Than Russia's: As the cost of living continues to pinch UK households, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) dropped the bomb that the UK’s economy is expected to shrink by 0.6% this year. Yep, shrink -- even Russia, a country with an economy crippled by sanctions, is predicted to grow. The IMF thinks that high energy prices, rising mortgage costs, increased taxes, and worker shortages are to blame for the UK’s economic woes. The economy is then expected to grow by 0.9% in 2024. In the meantime, keep your wallet close and your pennies closer.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
RELIGION
Why is the Pope in Africa?
Pope Francis is about to take on the African continent, visiting both Congo and South Sudan over the course of six days.
The trip will bring attention to two of the world’s forgotten conflicts as well as the Pope’s plans to reshape the Catholic Church as a “field hospital for wounded souls.”
What's the purpose of this visit?
Pope Francis’s trip is twofold: to shed light on the continent’s humanitarian crises, and to make his mark on the Catholic Church, which is growing: Half of its 105 million people are Catholic, the country counts more than 6,000 priests, 10,000 nuns and more than 4,000 seminarians — 3.6% of the global total of young men studying for the priesthood.
And just in case those numbers weren't mind-boggling enough, Pope Francis' Mass at Ndolo airport in the capital Kinshasa is expecting as many as 2 million people to attend. It will be one of Francis’ biggest Masses — ever.
The Pope also hopes to shed light on the crisis in Goma, which has been seen intense fighting between government troops and the M23 rebel group, as well as attacks by militants linked to the Islamic State group. Unfortunately, Francis won’t be visiting Goma due to security concerns, but he will meet with a delegation of people from the east who will travel to Kinshasa for a private encounter at the Vatican embassy.
And what about South Sudan?
The second leg of Francis’ trip will bring him to South Sudan, the world’s youngest country. South Sudan has been facing a civil war, and Francis will be joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Rt. Rev. Iain Greenshields, in a show of unity to further peace.
South Sudan has been dealing with a humanitarian crisis, with over 2 million people displaced. There has also been a spread firearms among the civilian population, and the Small Arms Survey estimated in 2017 that there were some 1.2 million firearms in the possession of South Sudanese civilians.
Francis, in his own words, has long denounced the weapons industry, calling traffickers “merchants of death.”,
What else should we know?
Overall, the Pope’s message will be more positive than his predecessor, St. John Paul II, who reminded Congolese priests and bishops of the need to stick to their celibacy vows.
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OTHER HEADLINES
Across the Continent
🇳🇦 Namibia has a Rhino Poaching Problem | Last year, the number of rhinos poached in the African country reached an all-time high, with 87 animals killed. The primary hotspot for this illegal activity is the Etosha National Park. The concern is that Namibia is home to the only free-roaming black rhinos in the world. To tackle the issue, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism and law enforcement officials have ramped up their efforts to stop wildlife crime in the park. But this poaching problem isn't limited to Namibia—neighbouring countries South Africa and Botswana have their own rhino issues. People have been trying out different anti-poaching tactics, like dehorning and strict policing.
🇱🇷 Weah's Re-election: Promises of Transformation | After rising from a slum in Monrovia to becoming president in 2018, Weah is officially running for re-election this year. He announced his candidacy to Parliament on Monday, pledging to pursue transformation, growth, and peace. Unfortunately, his first term was mired in corruption allegations and an economic downturn. Weah was widely accused of failing to address endemic corruption that his predecessor, Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was also criticized for. In 2018, a graft scandal in which Liberia lost $100 million in newly printed central bank notes sparked widespread allegations of misuse of public funds within Weah's administration. The US even imposed sanctions on three of his government officials. Weah has said that he will only serve two presidency terms.
🇿🇼 Lukashenko Visits Zimbabwe: A Dictator's Date with a "Friend" | Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Zimbabwe to a singing and cheering crowd on Monday—though the press was unceremoniously kept away. The visit is to strengthen ties between the two countries that are close allies of Russia and cement a deal involving farm equipment worth tens of millions of dollars. And while Zimbabwe has been a friend to Moscow for decades, Lukashenko has been less friendly to his own citizens—his term was renewed in 2020 in elections widely denounced as a sham, and his government responded to protests with a violent crackdown, arresting more than 35,000.
🇹🇿 Idris Elba Sets Sights on Tanzania Film Industry | Idris Elba, the British actor best known for his roles in Luther and The Wire, has a new project in the works. He and his wife Sabrina met with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss opening a film studio in the East African nation. President Samia has recently launched a series of reforms that promote foreign investment, so the timing could be perfect.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“The king who shuts his eyes during famine in the land will soon see ancestors.”
— Nigerian Proverb.
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