African markets and business updates

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) announces with deep sorrow the untimely death of His Excellency Muzikayifani Khehla Joseph Nkosi on 29 August 2026. Ambassador Nkosi joined the Department on 18 September 2017 and served with unwavering dedication as Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela from 11 March 2018 to 31 March 2022, and subsequently as Ambassador to the Republic of Chad from 3 August 2022 until his untimely passing.…

The ECOWAS Commission has held a formal welcome and send-off ceremony for incoming and outgone statutory appointees and Heads of ECOWAS Institutions following the completion of the outgone leadership’s four-year tenure. During the event, His Excellency, General Birame DIOP of Senegal officially assumed office as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, succeeding H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY of The Gambia. H.E. Mr. Anthony OGUNJIMI of Nigeria also succeeded H.E. Mrs. Damtien TCHINTCHIBIDJA of Togo as Vice President.…

The Office of the President has today announced the appointment of the Seychelles Licensing Authority Appeals Board. Ms Joëlle Perreau has been re-appointed as Chairperson of the Board. The other Members are: Mrs Kimberly D’Offay Mrs Frederika Confait-Poussou Mrs Sashi Deenu The Appeals Board set up as per Section 18 of the Licenses Act 2010 is responsible for hearing and determining appeals against certain decisions made by the Seychelles Licensing Authority in relation to licensing matters. It provides an independent mechanism through which persons aggrieved by a decision of the Authority may seek a review of that decision.…

Ask what Africa needs to secure its economic future, and the answers tend to follow a familiar script: capital, technology and infrastructure. Rarely does ‘data’ make the list. Yet, data sovereignty, the ability to collect, control and act on reliable information about one’s own economy, has become one of the most consequential forms of sovereignty a nation can exercise. It is the invisible foundation on which every effective policy, efficient tax system and well-designed social programme ultimately rests.…

More than 2,000 African and global business leaders plus heads of state will gather in New York on September 20–21 for Unstoppable Africa , flagship event of the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) ( ). Convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and organized and coordinated by the UN Global Compact, the fifth edition of Unstoppable Africa will convene under the theme “Powering Business, Scaling Economies, Shaping the Future”.…

On the evening of September 1, 2026 local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo by special plane for a state visit to Egypt at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Upon Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan’s arrival at Cairo International Airport, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his wife were present to warmly greet them. Honor guards stood in formation along both sides of the red carpet in salute, while Egyptian youths waved the national flags of China and Egypt to welcome Xi Jinping and his wife.…

The 65th anniversary of the beginning of the armed struggle for Eritrean independence was enthusiastically celebrated at the Gash Barka regional level in Keru, Dige sub-zone. The celebratory event was attended by Ambassador Mahmud Ali Hirui, Governor of Gash Barka Region; Maj. Gen. Romodan Osman Awelyay, Commander of the Eritrean Defense Forces Training Center; Brig. Gen. Tsehaye Mekonnen, Chief of Staff of the Western Command of the Eritrean Defense Forces; Ambassador Mahmud Ali Jabra, Secretary of the PFDJ in the region; senior Government and PFDJ officials in the region; as well as a number of residents. At the event, Maj. Gen.…

The Eritrean community in Egypt celebrated the 65th anniversary of the beginning of the armed struggle for Eritrean independence with patriotic zeal. The celebratory event in Cairo was attended by a number of nationals and featured cultural programs reflecting the significance of Bahti Meskerem to the Eritrean people. Speaking at the event, Mr. Aman Abdelwasi’e, Charge d’Affaires at the Eritrean Embassy, said that 1 September, the day on which the Eritrean people began the armed struggle for independence and dignity, is one of the most significant days in the country’s history.…

Today, at Al-Ittihadiya Palace, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and the First Lady, Mrs. Entissar El-Sisi, received the President of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping, and his spouse, as part of the Chinese President’s official visit to Egypt. Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy stated that the reception ceremony included a guard of honor, a 21-gun salute, the playing of the national anthems of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the People's Republic of China, and concluded with a commemorative photograph featuring both Presidents and First Ladies.…

DHL and Absa Group have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand DHL's GoTrade programme across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), formalising a strategic partnership that paves the way for the rollout of the DHL GoTrade programme across key markets in SSA. By combining DHL’s logistics expertise with Absa Group’s extensive banking, digital and financial capabilities, the partnership will equip SMEs with practical tools, training and access to services that support cross-border trade, e-commerce growth and sustainable business development.…