🇯🇵🇰🇪 Japan PM vows to provide Africa with support for food security

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Thursday to provide Africa with support for food security during his talks with Kenyan President William Ruto.

The leaders met in Tokyo at a time when Japan is aiming to bolster relations with Kenya facing the Indian Ocean to promote a vision of a "free and open Indo-Pacific," while trying to deepen ties with emerging and developing economies in the Global South.

Kishida also told Ruto that Japan will assist Kenya in restoring its financial health. They reaffirmed the importance of fair and transparent financial development to alleviate Kenya's debt problems.

#Japan #Kenya

@asianomics

🇺🇬🇲🇲 Uganda seeks help to free kidnapped citizens in Myanmar

Uganda has told it is working with the government of Myanmar to free citizens held against their will in rebel-held territory there.

Tens of thousands of people from all over the world are trapped on so-called scam compounds in Myanmar.

Among them are at least 30 Ugandans - although the opposition says there are many more - as many as 450.

Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister John Mulimba says his government first learnt of their abduction in December.

They are believed to be part of a larger number of Africans who left home to find jobs in Asian countries like Thailand or Malaysia only to be diverted and driven to a region in Myanmar where rebel groups run scam factories.

Mulimba told that Uganda had appealed for help from the UN's International Organization for Migration and "many other rescue teams".

#Uganda #Myanmar

@africaintel

🇸🇩🇸🇸 Thousands forced out by fighting in disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan

Humanitarian agencies have warned that two weeks of fighting in the oil-rich region of Abyei on the border between Sudan and South Sudan have led to widespread displacement and hindered efforts to distribute aid.

Both countries jointly administer Abyei and claim ownership of the region.

The clashes have been linked to conflict between rival factions of the Dinka ethnic group - called the Ngok and the Twic.

Close to 100 people including UN peacekeepers have been killed.

Britain, the US and Norway - known as the Troika - have called on the South Sudanese government to hold accountable those behind the attacks.

#Sudan #SouthSudan

@africaintel

🇮🇱🇿🇦 Israel denies threatening South African minister

Israel has denied claims that it threatened the safety of a South African minister, and in return has accused her of a "blood libel" and "serving as the legal arm" of Hamas.

Earlier Naledi Pandor said she had spoken to South African Police Minister Bheki Cele about beefing up her security after she received threatening messages.

Israel rejected these accusations. "These are baseless and false accusations, yet another blood libel by the South African foreign minister, who serves as the legal arm of the Hamas terrorist organisation."

"South Africa is trying to undermine Israel's right to defend itself and its citizens, and to promote the interests of Hamas and Iran in the Middle East and Africa," added Israel ministry of foreign affairs.

"The South African government's support for terrorism and its actions against Israel on the bilateral and international levels are an indelible stain."

#Israel #SouthAfrica

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Nigeria to propose naira payment for local gas sale

Nigeria is proposing for gas producers to sell gas to local power plants in naira to solve problems of dollar shortages after a second currency devaluation in less than a year is expected to balloon costs and make it hard for firms to pay.

Nigeria has 24 gas power plants with a combined output capacity of 11,434 megawatts, but it only delivers around a third of its capacity to the grid due to issues with gas supply.

"Proposing domestic gas payment in naira is a key step toward stability, aligning with our economy's needs and promoting sustainable energy production," Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu said.

Adelabu added that he plans to create legislative measures that will mandate naira payments for domestic gas supply.

#Nigeria

@africaintel

🇱🇷 Liberian president passes drug test and urges all government officials to do so

Liberian President Joseph Boakai has tested negative for drugs and illegal substances.

The Liberian leader underwent a drug test which he had promised to do during his address to the legislature on 29 January, just a week after he was sworn in.

Along with Vice-President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and other officials, the president underwent the test overseen by the country’s Ministry of Health.

Boakai said: "It is fulfilment of my commitment made that we will leave no stone unturned in combating the prevalence of drugs and other substance abuse in Liberia."

During his address to the legislature, President Boakai declared drug abuse a "national health emergency".

The Liberian leader wants all his officials to take drugs tests.

#Liberia

@africaintel

🇪🇬🇮🇱🇵🇸 Egypt steps up security on border as Israeli offensive in Gaza nears

Egypt has sent about 40 tanks and armoured personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai within the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to bolster security on its border with Gaza, two Egyptian security sources of Reuters said.

The deployment took place ahead of the expansion of Israeli military operations around Gaza's southern city of Rafah, sharpening Egyptian fears that Palestinians could be forced en masse out of the enclave.

Israeli warplanes struck Rafah, which adjoins the border, on Friday and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to prepare to evacuate the displaced people.

Since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted, Egypt constructed a concrete border wall that reaches six metres into the ground and is topped with barbed wire. It has also built berms and enhanced surveillance at border posts, the security sources said.

#Egypt #Israel #Palestine

@africaintel

🇺🇳🇸🇩 UNICEF says 700,000 children in Sudan at risk of worst form of malnutrition

UNICEF said on Friday that 700,000 children in Sudan were likely to suffer from the worst form of malnutrition this year, with tens of thousands who could die.

"The consequences of the past 300 days means that more than 700,000 children are likely to suffer from the deadliest form of malnutrition this year," James Elder, spokesperson for UNICEF, told.

"UNICEF won't be able to treat more than 300,000 of those without improved access and without additional support. In that case, tens of thousands would likely die."

UNICEF is appealing for $840 million to help just over 7.5 million children in Sudan this year, but Elder deplored the lack of funds collected in previous appeals.

#UN #Sudan

@africaintel

🇳🇬 Nigeria central bank to sanction fraudulent forex claims, governor says

Nigeria's central bank governor Olayemi Cardoso said on Friday that entities involved in fraudulent foreign exchange trades would be punished, after an audit helped whittle down a backlog of claims for payment to a "more manageable figure."

A forensic audit of $7 billion of overdue forex backlogs the bank has been struggling to clear had uncovered irregularities affecting $2.4 billion worth of the transactions.

The irregularities ranged from missing paperwork to non-existent entities and beneficiaries receiving unauthorised foreign exchange allocations.

"A lot has been asked with respect to those that are within the infracted category, which we are looking at very closely. Those who are responsible will be sanctioned accordingly," Cardoso told.

Central bank Deputy Governor Muhammad Sani Abdullahi added that the bank is working with law enforcement for further action against the offenders.

#Nigeria

@africaintel

🇪🇬 Egypt inflation slows more than expected in January

Egypt's annual urban consumer price inflation dropped to 29.8% in January from 33.7% in December, the state statistics agency said.

Month-on-month, prices rose by 1.6% in January, up from 1.4% in December. Food prices climbed by 1.4%, down from 2.1% in December. In the year to January, food prices rose by 47.5%, down from 60.5% in the year to December.

A median of 18 analysts had forecast annual inflation to slow to 32.5%, according to a Reuters poll.

Egypt's inflation rate has been sliding from a historic high of 38.0% in September.

Core inflation, which excludes fuel and some volatile food items, declined to 29.0% in January from 34.2% in December, the central bank said. A median of five of the analysts had expected it only to slow to 31.9%

#Egypt

@africaintel

🇿🇦🛢 South Africa's Sasol flags decline in half-year profit

South Africa's Sasol, opens new tab on Friday said it expects its half-year profit to decline by as much as 42% due to weaker oil and petrochemical prices and persistent infrastructure problems in Africa's most advanced economy.

Sasol, the world's biggest producer of fuels and chemicals from coal and gas, said it sees headline earnings per share between 17.90 rand and 22.22 rand ($0.9445-$1.17) in the six months to December 31, compared to 30.90 rand previously.

While the company noted some operational improvements in South Africa, it said the underperformance of state-owned utilities involved in its value chain and a weaker global growth outlook continue to impact its business.

#SouthAfrica

@africaintel