African markets and business updates

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%.…

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) ( www.AfricaFC.org ), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has established a Bermudian wholly owned subsidiary, AFC Captive Insurance Company Ltd (AFC Captive), to enhance its risk management capabilities and support the continued growth of its infrastructure financing activities across Africa. Backed by up to US$30 million in equity capital, AFC Captive will initially provide insurance coverage for loans extended by AFC to its counterparties. This will enable the Corporation to manage and retain risk more efficiently while reducing reliance on external commercial insurance markets overtime.…

On August 28, Ambassador Gao Wenqi attended the handover ceremony of the Masaka Hospital renovation and expansion project. Hon. Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Rwanda's Minister of Health, Alphonse Rukaburandekwe, Director General of the Rwanda Housing Authority, representatives from the Rwandan Prime Minister's Office and various walks of life, the Chinese medical team to Rwanda were present. Ambassador Gao noted that the Masaka Hospital renovation and expansion project is a concrete action to implement the consensus reached by the Heads of State of the two countries, an important outcome of the FOCAC "Ten Partnership Actions".…

The Delegation of the European Union and the Diplomatic Missions of the EU Member States to Libya welcome the announcement of an agreement signed today by the Libyan representatives participating in the UN-facilitated “Small Convening” on the reconstitution of the Board of the High National Elections Commission and on the electoral framework. We recognise this agreement as a meaningful milestone towards unifying the institutions and creating the conditions for credible national elections. We commend the Libyan participants for their constructive approach, political responsibility and readiness to find common ground in the national interest.…

Speaking at the 21st Extraordinary African Union (AU) Summit on conflict prevention & resolution in Luanda this morning, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called for urgent reform of Africa’s peace & security architecture. He observed that from Sudan & eastern DRC to Somalia, the Sahel, Libya, northern Mozambique & Madagascar, persistent crises and emerging threats, including terrorism, violent extremism, piracy, transnational crime & the mistreatment of migrants, demand stronger collective action. "Prevention must become our priority.…

The Republic of Angola will host, on 30 August 2026, in Luanda, at the Luanda Convention Centre (PCL), the XXI Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, dedicated to the Strengthening of Conflict Prevention and Resolution Mechanisms in Africa. The session, which will bring together in Luanda the Heads of State and Government of African countries, stands as an important space for dialogue, analysis and political concertation among the Member States of the Union, focusing on the strengthening of the continental mechanisms for conflict prevention, the promotion of peace and political stability, as well as the peaceful resolution of the crises affecting different regions of the continent.…

First Lady of the Republic of Seychelles, Mrs Veronique Herminie, attended the Women Leadership and Diplomacy Summit held on August 28, 2026, in New Delhi, India, as part of Mission ShakthiSAT, an international initiative aimed at empowering girls through science, technology, innovation, leadership, diplomacy and space exploration. The summit, held on 28 August 2026, forms part of the STISA-2034 Awareness through Research and Innovation for Girl-Ambassadors in Space programme, being held from 22 to 31 August at Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida, India, under the African Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (ASTII) programme.…

The lessons, sacrifices and strategic decisions that shaped some of West Africa’s most consequential peace interventions took centre stage on 27 August 2026 as ECOWAS unveiled a series of strategic publications in Abuja, Nigeria, convening senior government officials, military leaders, diplomats, academics and development partners to examine how decades of regional peace support operations can inform more effective responses to contemporary and emerging security challenges across the region. The publications represent a landmark contribution to consolidating ECOWAS’ accumulated knowledge and experience in peace support operations, mediation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.…