A powerful AI model that appeared anonymously on a developer platform last week was revealed on Wednesday to be from Chinese smartphone and EV giant Xiaomi, after it fuelled speculation that start-up DeepSeek was quietly testing its next-generation system ahead of a launch. The release of DeepSeek’s low-cost models DeepSeek-V3 and R1 triggered a global…
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) was introduced in 2000 as the cornerstone of US development-oriented trade policy towards sub-Saharan Africa. It was designed to grant eligible countries duty-free access to the US market. In February 2026, President Donald Trump signed a one-year extension after the programme lapsed in September 2025. Yet the programme’s…
Mr Kaseya said sustainable financing is now one of the institution’s five strategic pillars, with a focus on mobilising innovative domestic resources and exploring previously underutilised mechanisms such as debt swaps. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has intensified efforts to unlock an estimated $1 1billion in health financing through debt-for-health…
The authors, Maud Botten and Biase De Gregorio A subtle but vital shift is under way in how artificial intelligence is embraced and treated in most large businesses and organisations. If AI has not moved from an experimental stage to widespread use and the debate over whether to implement AI has not been replaced by…
A South African entrepreneur is bridging the gap between Africa and China, helping African businesses access Chinese markets while promoting African products abroad. Thandi China, based in China, is the founder of Wins International, a company that assists African entrepreneurs with sourcing products from China, verifying suppliers, conducting quality inspections, and managing shipping logistics. Her…
Africa faces a major rural road access challenge, with nearly 60 per cent of its population unable to reach all-weather roads, a gap that continues to limit economic opportunities and access to essential services. Experts say Rwanda’s experience in expanding rural connectivity offers practical lessons that could help narrow the continent’s rural road deficit. This…
The African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Lerato Mataboge, has described the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a landmark example of Africa’s ability to finance and deliver transformative infrastructure using its own resources. Speaking at a press conference on accelerating Agenda 2063, advancing digital transformation and implementing the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa,…
Addis Ababa — The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa has urged African leaders to undertake a fundamental restructuring of the continent’s economic model, cautioning that dependence on raw commodity exports can no longer sustain long term development goals. Addressing the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, which opened today…
People often think of a heatwave as a temporary event, a brutal week of sun that eventually breaks with a cool breeze. But as the climate changes globally, in parts of Africa, that level of heat is becoming a permanent part of the weather. Research shows Africa’s exposure to dangerous heat is rising rapidly. Until…
Addis Ababa — Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has hailed Ethiopian Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a powerful symbol of African self-determination, declaring it a living proof that the continent can defeat energy poverty even when locked out of international financing. Speaking in a widely watched interview with a globally renowned South African…
