Tag: Africa

AFCON Trophy Missing from Egyptian Football Association Headquarters in Cairo
AFCON, Africa, Corruption, Crime, Egypt, News, Sports

AFCON Trophy Missing from Egyptian Football Association Headquarters in Cairo

News emerging from Egypt has it that the trophy the country's national team won thrice in a row was discovered missing from the country's football federation headquarters. According to reports, the discovery was made as preparations were being made to create a museum where all the trophies and awards won by the Egyptian football teams will be kept and displayed. Ahmed Shobir, a former Egyptian Football Association, Vice President, is quoted as saying: "Officials of the committee which meets every five years and currently manages the Football Association were surprised that the trophy was not available, in light of their desire to create a museum at the federation headquarters, which would feature the trophy and the national team’s kits. "However, (they) were surprised to find that...
AfDB Election: Adesina Re-Elected as President
African Development, Breaking News, Finance, News, Nigeria

AfDB Election: Adesina Re-Elected as President

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina has been re-elected for a second tenure. He was re-elected by the Board of Governors of the Bank at the ongoing AfDB’s virtual annual meeting in Abuja on Thursday. It was disclosed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Media, Lauretta Onochie on Twitter. Onochie wrote, “Our very own Akinwumi Akin Adesina has been reaffirmed as the President of the African Development Bank. “Thank you to our supportive President @MBuhari who mobilized support for our own Adesina and why not! Adesina has been proven to be above boards.” Recall that Adesina was recently cleared of misconduct by an Independent Review Committee set up to probe his administration after a complaint by the United States.
A third of Africa’s Children Missed Virtual Learning, says UNICEF
Africa, African Development, Covid-19, Education, News

A third of Africa’s Children Missed Virtual Learning, says UNICEF

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has said the COVID-19 induced school closure has created a global education emergency occasioned by the inability of a third of children to access virtual leaning. UNICEF said about 1.5 billion children could not access learning at the peak of lockdowns intended to ameliorate the spread of coronavirus. Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director said, “For at least 463 million children whose schools closed due to COVID-19, there was no such a thing as remote learning. “The sheer number of children whose education was completely disrupted for months on end is a global education emergency,” she said in a statement. “The repercussions could be felt in economies and societies for decades to come.” According to the report released on Wednesday, ...
Africa, World Risk ‘Generational Catastrophe’ on Education, UN cautions
Africa, African Development, Covid-19, Economy, Education, Employment, Finance, Interview, Life, News, Press Statement, Safety, Science, United Nations, Youths

Africa, World Risk ‘Generational Catastrophe’ on Education, UN cautions

The United Nations (UN) cautions that Africa and the rest of the world could witness a “generational catastrophe” due to the closure of schools around the world amid the COVID-19 scare. This was disclosed by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a communique. Reports suggest as at mid-July, at least 160 countries had closed their schools keeping more than 1 billion students at home while at least 40 million children have missed out on pre-school. Guterres said ensuring the safe return of students to classroom must be a “top priority”. “Now we face a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities,” said Guterres as he launched a U.N. “Save our Future” campaign. He further stated that, “...
Arteta Lauds Aubameyang’s FA Cup Heroics, Hopes Striker Extends Gunners Contract
African Development, Finance, Gabon, Interview, News, Sports

Arteta Lauds Aubameyang’s FA Cup Heroics, Hopes Striker Extends Gunners Contract

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has lauded the contribution of Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the gunners FA cup final triumph against Chelsea at Wembley. The 31-year-old forward scored both goals as Arsenal came from behind to clinch a 2-1 victory in the final on Saturday, to win their first 14th FA cup. “Big games require big moments from big players, and he’s delivered that in the semi-final and he’s done it again in the final,” Arsenal.com quotes Arteta. “That’s why you ask about those players. Some were questioning that he couldn’t do it in big games. There we go. He was a big, big part of delivering this trophy. He’s done it and we are so proud to have a player like him in our squad.” The prolific talisman has been linked with a host of clubs in Europe due to...
African Leaders Pay Tribute to Deceased Former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa
Africa, Life, News, Tanzania

African Leaders Pay Tribute to Deceased Former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa

African leaders have sent condolence messages to the family of Mkapa and the Government of Tanzania on the death of its former President, Benjamin Mkapa. President of Tanzania, John Magufuli had early on Friday announced the passing of the former President. Mkapa died on Thursday in a Dar es Salaam hospital where he was undergoing treatment for an ailment, Magufuli said in a televised broadcast, “Benjamin William Mkapa, the third president of Tanzania, has died… I urge Tanzanians to receive the news. We have been hit by a great tragedy. Let us continue praying for our leader, the former President Benjamin William Mkapa.” Mpaka, 81 was president of Tanzania from 1995 to 2005 before passing on power to Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. Mkapa took part in different peace missions across Afri...
Rwanda to Carry out Testing Survey of Coronavirus in the Street of Kigali
Covid-19, News, Rwanda

Rwanda to Carry out Testing Survey of Coronavirus in the Street of Kigali

Rwanda will on Thursday commence a random COVID-19 street testing survey in Kigali and points of entry to ascertain the coronavirus situation in its largest city, a senior health officer revealed on Wednesday. Minister of state for Primary Healthcare Tharcisse Mpunga in a news program of Rwanda Television disclosed that the Ministry of Health will initiate the testing of samples in the street of Kigali due to its dense population. Mpunga said that the testing will avail reliable information which could be relied upon to make informed decisions on strategy of curbing COVID-19 in Rwanda. According to the minister, the survey aims to test over 5,000 residents of the city who have resided in the capital within the past one or two weeks. He urged people to abide by instructions of heal...
South Sudan Suspended from African Union over Failure to Pay $9m Membership Debt
Africa, News, Sudan

South Sudan Suspended from African Union over Failure to Pay $9m Membership Debt

The African Union (AU) has suspended South Sudan from the continental body over failure to meet up with their financial obligations over a three-year period amounting to over 9 million U.S. dollars. The suspension was confirmed in a letter from South Sudan’s mission to Ethiopia to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday attributing it to failure to pay its membership dues for three consecutive years. Hakim Edward, deputy Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, noted that the suspension does not totally invalidate South Sudan’s membership but would only exempt it from meetings until the debts are paid. South Sudan has been a member of AU from July 2011. In a statement last week, Edward said, “We would like to confirm to the public that South Sudan is one of the countries t...
Leadership in Africa: Patriotism or Greed?
Africa, Features, News

Leadership in Africa: Patriotism or Greed?

Africa is home to some of the longest-serving national leaders in the world. Prior to the Arab Spring in 2011, Africa had about 8 Presidents among the list of top ten longest-serving national leaders in the world. It is however not surprising that up till this moment the continent parades the longest serving President in the world - Paul Biya of Cameroon. He has been in power since November of 1982. Teodoro Obiang is currently the President of Equatorial Guinea, a country in West Africa. He has also been in power since 1982 and currently has his son as one of the Vice Presidents. There is also Denis Sassou Nguesso who has been in power in the Democratic Republic of Congo since he was elected in 1997. He had previously served as the President of the country from 1979 to 1992. Returnin...
Burundi: Pierre Nkurunziza – Hero or Villain?
Africa, Burundi, News

Burundi: Pierre Nkurunziza – Hero or Villain?

Deceased President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza was duly elected President on 26 August, 2005 at a time when the country was recovering from a decade long civil war which lasted from 1995-2005. His emergence was a popular choice among the Burundians. The Guardian reported that Nkurunziza’s death is COVID-19 related. In May, Burundi’s foreign ministry declared World Health Organisation’s rapid response team as “persona non grata and as such, must leave the territory of Burundi.” The WHO team had arrived to assist Burundi combat spread of COVID-19. Though official Government statement attributed his death to heart attack, reports of his wife battling corona virus gives some credence to the rumour that his death was COVID-19 related. Denise Bucumi Nkurunziza, wife of deceased Presiden...