Africa Rise And Shine

Global cashless payment volumes are set to almost double from 2020 to 2025, from about 1 trillion transactions to about 1.9 trillion. By 2030, the number of cashless transactions per capita will be roughly double to triple the current level. This is according to a report issued by PwC titled: "Payments 2025 & beyond, Navigating the payments matrix: Charting a course amid evolution". For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to PwC Strategy & Payments Transformation Africa leader, Chantal Maritz... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, has launched the Temane Gas and Energy project, budgeted at around $1 billion. The Temane Thermal Power Station, in the northern province of Inhambane, will be able to guarantee the electrification of the entire southern part of the country in an extension of about 650 kilometers, as well as reducing the import of cooking gas into the country. Milton Maluleque reports… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The appeal hearing of Vital Kamerhe, the former chief of staff to DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, continued on Tuesday at the Makala main prison in Kinshasa. Kamerhe who's also the Union for the Congolese Nation leader, is currently in prison serving a 20 year sentence for embezzlement of public funds. Channel Africa's Jean Noël Ba-Mweze reports from Kinshasa... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time ever, a person's genetic capacity for resilience can now be measured, thanks to a ground-breaking new DNA test developed by a South African biotech company. The test can also help improve resilience, something which has become essential as we all grapple to adjust and cope with the effects of the pandemic on our lives and livelihoods. For more on the significance of the resilience test, Lulu Gaboo spoke to its pioneer, Jason Bernice, who is an Executive Life Coach… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has for the first time, criticized five judges of the country's High Court for rejecting a constitutional reform plan now known in the country as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). As James Shimanyula reports, in their ruling, the judges described the BBI as irregular, unlawful and unconstitutional. James Shimanyula reports from Nairobi… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The African Union (AU) has been called upon to intervene on recent issues raised by the Pan African Parliament in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Pandemonium broke out as delegates started getting physical with each other following a dispute over the rotation of the continental groupings presidency. Members clashed over the electoral system, with the Southern Caucus pushing for the change to rotational leadership, similar to the AU process. The Eastern and Western Caucuses are adamant that there is no authority that allows the impromptu change. The sitting has since been suspended. More from South African representative to the Pan-African Parliament, Pemmy Majodina. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) is hosting the fourth cohort of its flagship AWIEF Growth Accelerator. The initiative is designed to support the unique needs of early-stage and high growth-oriented women-led ventures with business modelling, growth strategy training, corporate advisory, mentorship, networks, and access to strategic partnerships. According to the forum, access to finance is the most cited challenge to the growth of women-owned businesses in Africa. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to AWIEF Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Irene Ochem... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Problematic food packaging, poorly informed consumers, poor design of plastic packaging, an unstable supply chain and a lack of co-operation between brand owners, producers and retailers are among the many reasons why South Africa is lagging behind when it comes to recycling. These findings are contained in a new World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report titled "Plastics: From Recycling to post-consumer Recyclate" which looks at recycling from an industry perspective. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Lorren de Kock, Co-author of the report, and Project Manager for Circular Plastics Economy with WWF South Africa... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is good news for South African motorists as the retail price for all grades of petrol will decrease by 10 cents a litre from this Wednesday. However, diesel and paraffin will cost 20 cents more a liter. This is according to the latest data from the Department of Energy. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Layton Beard from the Automobile Association of South Africa... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In an effort to tackle hate speech against religious communities, Saudi Arabian politician, and Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, has released a video to kickstart the #RejectHate campaign. The campaign calls for social media platforms to remove all hate speech targeting Muslims and other religious groups to create a more peaceful and tolerant world. The initiative comes just four months after Al-Issa established the Durban-based Mercy and Peace Foundation, which seeks to end gender-based violence, abuse, human trafficking and other crimes against humanity. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Executive Adviser for Muslim World League in Africa, Sheikh Walid El Saadi… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The South Africa Department of Basic Education is today undertaking a nationwide school safety and violence prevention drive to raise awareness on the distressing impact of bullying on the school community. Bullying is a serious problem in the country's schools. A recent bullying incident which shook the nation after a video went viral, resulted in a Grade 10 school girl in Limpopo province taking her own life. For more on this issue, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Gundo Mmbi, a school principal at Spark Soweto, South of Johannesburg... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A cross-border data collaboration project involving 23 African countries above the Equator is launching the first ever daily public COVID dashboard for countries in the Horn of Africa in June 2021. The United States Agency for International Development, USAID-funded Regional Action Through Data programme is tackling COVID-19 in West and East Africa through two initiatives, respectively involving the sharing of real-time regional disease data online and tech-enabled cross-border immunisations. These initiatives are said to be enabling governments to better collaborate to protect their roving pastoral populations from epidemics and to overcome the data issues of the Ebola era. More from Dr. Andrew Kitua, BroadReach's Regional Programme Director of RAD, who manages the implementation of the programme… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zambian President, Edgar Lungu's eligibility to contest in the August polls is being challenged through a petition brought forward by some Civil Society organisations, Chapter One Foundation and Legal Resources Foundation in Zambia. They are seeking a nullification of President Lungu's nomination for election as President in the August 12, 2021, elections as he has already served as President for two terms. For more on this, Zikhona Miso spoke to our correspondent in Zambia, Arthur Davies Sikopo… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mali's interim President, Bah Ndaw, and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, have resigned, two days after they were detained by the military, in what reports indicate was in response to a disagreement over a cabinet reshuffle. A delegation of leaders of the West African group, ECOWAS, has been in Mali deleberating on the situation in the country. Political alnalyst Kassou Coulibaly tells us more about the outcomes of the meeting which resulted in the resignations... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New York Prosecutor investigating criminal conduct inside the businesses of former President, Donald Trump, has convened a grand jury that will determine whether he and or members of his inner-circle, violated any laws in their operations of the Trump Organisation. The Washington Post was first to report that the panel, typically made up of 23 citizens, will sit three days a week for six months to decide whether the prosecutor has sufficient evidence to indict the former President and other executives in his company. Sherwin Bryce-Pease has more… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2021 commemoration of Africa Day was marked across the continent in many ways and with activities which are meant to sensitize the continent and its people to its position and the way forward so that it can get out of a dependent position to be able to meet in various aspects of life. In Nigeria, the United Bank for Africa sponsored a leadership conversation in which the continent’s leaders in various callings aired their opinion on how Africa can make a leap into the dreamed land of relief from plagues especially Covid-19 which had some adverse effect on the continents economy. Channel Africa correspondent, Collins Nosa Atohengbe, reports that President Kagame of Rwanda says the private sector must come to the rescue of Africa in the bid to meet the needs of Africans… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An African business magazine, African Business, has released its June cover story featuring its exclusive ranking of Africa's Best Brands. This year's ranking was released during a virtual event from Uganda organised by Brand Africa, founders of the "Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands". According to the publication, African brands retained their 13% share of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa during a year defined by the pandemic which brought the world to a halt, as markets having to adapt to a new reality. Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Principal at Africa Brand Leadership Academy, spoke to Khumbelo Munzhelele and started by explaining the significance of this business ranking... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In marking Africa Day, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) yesterday launched a tool which seeks to promote International Humanitarian Law - the rules and principles governing armed conflict, commonly referred to as IHL. The ICRC's African Customs in War Tool is the outcome of a research examining the historical relationship between Africa and IHL. The ICRC recognises that much more still needs to be done to promote IHL in Africa. For more on this initiative, here's ICRC legal advisor from the Pretoria Regional Delegation, Tamalin Bolus See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many Zambians say while Africa is politically free, the continent is still wallowing in poverty making it still dependent on the former colonial masters. They say it is time Africans learnt to do things that will spur development. This is in comments marking the commemoration of Africa Freedom Day, yesterday. Our correspondent from Zambia, Hilda Akekelwa has the report... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States (US) Government is poised to lift a ban imposed on tobacco imports from Malawi once it is convinced that forced and child labour has ended. The US says child labour remains human rights and governance issue and Malawi should work with partners to eradicate it. Malawi depends on tobacco for foreign change earnings. George Mhango reports from Blantyre. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.