Many cross-border transactions still rely on the US dollar as an intermediary currency. At the same time, African currencies are often difficult to exchange directly, and few mechanisms exist for countries to settle payments with one another in local currencies. Cross-border payments in Africa remain among the most expensive in the world, despite the rapid…
South Africa’s redrafted national AI policy will not prescribe rules to industry. Instead, individual sectors will be left to write their own AI strategies off a set of national guidelines. That is according to department of communications & digital technologies acting deputy director-general Jeanette Morwane, who told TechCentral on the sidelines of the inaugural Naspers/Prosus…
Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub Vodacom has lowered the floor on its dividend payout policy, cutting it to at least 65% of headline earnings from at least 75% previously, in a change disclosed alongside first-quarter trading numbers and the completion of its long-awaited Safaricom transaction. The shift is significant for a counter widely held by…
From Project Bankability to Building Productive and Financeable Economies As the World Bank Group places job creation, private sector mobilization and productive transformation back at the center of its agenda, evaluations by the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) of the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) engagement in fragile economies invite us to ask a fundamental question: Is…
Nairobi — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has welcomed the Trump administration’s shift in U.S.-Africa policy from one centred on aid to one driven by trade and investment, describing the approach as a positive step towards building more balanced and mutually beneficial relations with Kenya. Speaking during celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence…
Government Gazette confirms official withdrawal of SA’s draft AI policy. (Image source: 123RF) South Africa’s draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, which featured AI-hallucinated references, has officially been withdrawn through a Government Gazette dated 12 June. This, after communications minister Solly Malatsi initially announced its withdrawal in April, citing integrity as the reason behind the…
Addis Ababa — United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has called on Africa to move “from policy design to delivery of scale” and from “promising pilots to measurable impact.” In her message at the Africa Development Impact Forum (ADIF) in Addis Ababa today, she said that while the African continent is rich in ideas and…
Jun 9 2026 (IPS) – Somewhere in Africa today, a woman will spend more than 30 minutes collecting water that may make her and her children sick. At the same time, her government will face severe fiscal constraints that will limit its ability to provide clean water, among other basic services. This injustice sits at…
WASHINGTON — The House passed bipartisan legislation Thursday that clashes with the Trump administration by providing new aid to Ukraine while also imposing sanctions against Russia. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The 226-195 vote included support for the bill from 18 Republicans, who joined all…
The Trump administration has outlined a renewed Africa strategy centered on national sovereignty, commercial partnerships, and targeted support for Nigeria, as Washington moves to reshape its engagement on the continent. Senior US officials say the new approach prioritises measurable outcomes and strategic interests over what they described as “moral lectures” in foreign policy. Speaking at…
