African markets and business updates

As Africa marks the 24th African Traditional Medicine Day on 31 August, leaders, researchers and traditional health practitioners are reflecting on a pivotal question: how can traditional medicine help accelerate universal health coverage across the continent? Under this year's theme, "Reflection on research and development efforts of traditional medicine towards achieving universal health coverage in the African Region," the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre and the WHO Regional Office for Africa convened a conversation exploring how evidence, innovation and community trust can help bring traditional medicine from research to reach.…

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, Minister of Civil Aviation Dr. Sameh El-Hefny, and President's Advisor for Financial Affairs Lieutenant General Ahmed El-Shazly. The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the meeting addressed the ongoing development of the civil aviation system. The Minister of Civil Aviation said this included the modernization of airports infrastructure, increase of their capacity, and improvement of passenger services.…

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) ( www.Afreximbank.com ) has announced senior leadership appointments and confirmations to strengthen regional operations, deepen client engagement, and enhance delivery of the Bank's mandate across Africa and the Caribbean. These appointments are integral to Afreximbank's growth ambitions and its efforts to accelerate intra-African trade, industrialisation and regional integration. By strengthening leadership across its regional platforms, the Bank is positioning itself to expand market coverage, improve transaction execution and deepen engagement with clients and stakeholders across Africa and the Caribbean. Mr.…

The coffee ceremony is an ancient social ritual in Eritrea, where green beans are roasted, hand-ground, and slow-brewed in a multi-stage process that prioritizes hospitality, community, and deliberate conversation over quick caffeine consumption. Serving as the ultimate gesture of welcome across the Horn of Africa and Middle Eastern traditions, this sacred gathering spans one to two hours to engage every sense. Burning frankincense clears the air, the crackle of raw beans roasting over hot coals fills the space, and the host presents the rich aromatic smoke to guests before grinding.…

The Right Honourable the Prime Minister Samuel Matekane, accompanied by Cabinet Ministers as well as stakeholders in the electrification sector launched a hydropower station in Semonkong aimed at improving access to reliable electricity for the community. For years, residents of Semonkong have relied on solar power, which was available for only about 14 hours a day, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Speaking at the launch, The Right Honourable the prime Minister Matekane said Semonkong had been declared a town many years ago and that the government constructed a mini-hydropower station in 1990.…

As millions of children across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) return to school this week, the close contact typical of classrooms and communal dormitories could present new challenges for Ebola containment efforts already underway. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is working to keep students safe, reduce transmission risk, and strengthen trust and prevention efforts as schools reopen. With the outbreak in its fourth month, Ebola case numbers continue to climb across eastern DRC, and health authorities have recorded more than 5,945 cases and over 2,862 deaths. Already by early August, 743 of those cases and 330 of those deaths were children .…

Since the outbreak of the Sudanese crisis in April 2023, the leadership of the African Union Commission has sought to bridge the divides among Sudanese stakeholders and foster an environment conducive to ending the armed conflict—thereby ensuring peace and stability in Sudan—by embedding a culture of dialogue to build a shared national vision. Therefore, the leadership of the African Union Commission has consistently called for upholding unity and national institutions, and for working to consolidate the democratic state.…

Our surveillance indicates that the 2026 rotavirus season is ongoing across South Africa, and we have noted a sharp increase in rotavirus cases in Pretoria, with one fatality reported. We encourage all parents to vaccinate their children against rotavirus and to continue breastfeeding infants or administer oral rehydration solution (6 teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in 1 litre of clean water) to infants and children with diarrhoeal symptoms. Rotavirus is a common childhood diarrhoeal infection that has a seasonal pattern, peaking during the cooler, drier months of the year. Most children have at least one infection by two years of age.…

On 29 August 2026, H.E. Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, in his capacity as Special Envoy of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered opening remarks at “Thailand – Ethiopia: Building Business Bridges” in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to deepening economic cooperation and strengthening business-to-business ties between Thailand and Ethiopia, with a view to creating new trade and investment opportunities and fostering concrete, mutually beneficial business partnerships. The Advisor to the Minister highlighted the complementary economic potential of Thailand and Ethiopia.…

Within GITEX Nigeria, taking place from 31 August to 3 September in Lagos, Kaspersky ( www.Kaspersky.co.za ), global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, warns that cyber attackers are currently deploying the same methods against small businesses as they do against large enterprises. To help strengthen corporate defences, Kaspersky is releasing recommendations alongside findings from a global survey by its Internal Research Center, which found that just 14% of businesses with 100 to 499 employees avoided a cyber incident in the past year. This figure is slightly higher in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region at 18%.…