Features

African leaders have shot themselves in the foot by postponing the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) until 2021.   Sub-Saharan economies are already minor players in global trade. COVID-19 has further marginalized them by cutting links to China, Europe and North America. That makes internal integration and…

The short-term shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout will have a significant impact across Africa. But the continent has a newfound resilience and will come back stronger, especially if African governments seize the current opportunity for effective leadership.     Despite apocalyptic predictions, Africa may be better…

The international community on Saturday commemorated 2020 World Population Day under the theme: “Putting the breaks on COVID-19: how to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now,” aimed at raising awareness about women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health rights, gender-based violence (GBV), among other vulnerabilities amidst…

Recently, Speak Up Africa hosted an online conversation with Dr. Canisius Kanangire, executive secretary of the African Ministers` Council on Water (AMCOW). It was the second episode of its ‘Virtual Bridges’ webinar series themed: “Breaking the Pandemic Circle: Improving access to safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene (WASH).”    …

In commemoration of the Day of Africa’s Scientific Renaissance 2020, the Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS), in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), convened a webinar focused on reviving interest in the contribution of African Indigenous Knowledge Systems to modern science.     The concept of African…

In commemoration of the maiden Africa Integration Day, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the AU Commission, hosted stakeholders to a webinar discussion, exploring the urgency of boosting Africa’s industrialization drive, as the continent readies to implement the AfCFTA       July 7th was declared as Africa Integration…

Zéneb Touré, Manager of the Civil Society and Community Engagement Division at the African Development Bank (AfDB), speaks about the Bank’s COVID-19 awareness webinar series, in partnership with the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC)     Newspage: What inspired the AfDB Civil Society and Community Engagement…

In just one year, three events have permanently reshaped Africa’s trade relationship with the United Kingdom: The entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on May 30, 2019, the official withdrawal of the U.K. from the European Union (Brexit) on January 31, 2020, and the COVID-19 pandemic in which…

Speak Up Africa, the Dakar, Senegal-based nonprofit working to catalyze dialogues, drive policy changes and create awareness on health and sanitation issues in Africa, this week, hosted a conversation with the World Health Organization (WHO) on the theme: “Neglected Tropical Diseases and COVID-19: Why we need the new NTD Roadmap more…

The African Union Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), Thursday, hosted a teleconference on the theme: “Role of Youth in Shaping a Post-Pandemic Africa,” focused on how African youths can contribute in shaping the continent`s future – post-pandemic.     It was against…