African markets and business updates

In Tambura, a fragile calm has settled after years of violence and displacement. Yet beneath the semblance of peace lies a harsh reality, as the lingering effects of conflict continue to disrupt residents’ daily lives. Livelihoods have been devastated. Access to farmland remains limited, healthcare facilities are scarce, and schools are out of reach for many children. Basic supplies are hard to find. An air patrol by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) brought peacekeepers together with local authorities and community members to assess the security situation and better understand the protection concerns facing residents.…

Ebola deaths reach 2,516 in DRC Response funding could run out within weeks Dozens of frontline healthcare workers among dead “We're only covered for the next weeks, and very soon funding will run out,” said Julien Harneis, UN Senior Ebola Coordinator. “Every delay in funding and implementation makes this epidemic more deadly, more difficult to stop and more expensive. So, we need that international support immediately.” Since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, 5,290 people have been infected 2,516 have died, according to latest health authority data published on Friday.…

Hajio is one of many experiencing the brunt of these cuts. She lived a relatively prosperous life – she had a home and her children went to school. But all her cattle died because of the drought, and she had to flee her home area for help. She hurried to the town of Burhakaba in southwest Somalia because she had heard support would be available there. Yet upon arrival, she received only some clothes and tomatoes from one of the country’s poorest communities living nearby. ​​“She received nothing from the international community,” stressed UN Children’s Fund ( UNICEF ) spokesperson James Elder, briefing journalists in Geneva on Friday.…

The Western Cape Government, through the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) and its key partners, has strengthened Bergrivier Municipality’s Hazmat response capacity through the handover of specialised firefighting equipment valued at R250,000. The handover forms part of the Municipal Fire Service Capacity Building Grant, which strengthens municipal fire and rescue services through equipment, training and operational support. The equipment includes 40 Level A responder suits, providing maximum protection against dangerous vapours and liquids, as well as other specialised response equipment.…

President of the Republic, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, has directed the authorities of Warrap and Western Bahr el Ghazal states to intensify joint efforts to resolve tensions between communities along the border of the two states. The President issued the directive following a briefing on ongoing peace and conflict-resolution initiatives involving Gogrial East County in Warrap State and Jur River County in Western Bahr el Ghazal State.…

Freight operators in the Western Cape are being invited to take advantage of a fully funded Road Transport Management System (RTMS) digital toolkit pilot designed to help businesses improve safety, compliance and the way they manage their operations. Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku, made the call during a visit to Moosa’s Group in Milnerton yesterday (20 August), one of the first companies to participate in the pilot. The RTMS digital toolkit was developed by the Western Cape Mobility Department to make RTMS more accessible, particularly for small and medium-sized freight operators who may find the preparation process time-consuming or difficult to navigate.…

Kenya is strengthening strategic partnerships to accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage, with maternal and newborn health remaining a priority in ongoing health-sector reforms. Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale met Jhpiego President and Chief Executive Officer Dr Allyson Bear and her delegation to discuss expanded collaboration in advancing the Government’s Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere agenda. The Cabinet Secretary called for a coordinated approach that aligns Government and development-partner interventions with national priorities.…

Emergency Relief Coordinator Fletcher has allocated $3 million from CERF for Ebola readiness efforts in the Central African Republic . The risk of the outbreak spreading has increased following the confirmation of Ebola cases in provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo that border the Central African Republic. Mr. Fletcher says the funds will strengthen surveillance, isolation capacity, community engagement, and access to water. The Central African Republic already faces a humanitarian crisis driven by conflict, floods, disease outbreaks and regional instability, leaving an estimated 2.3 million people – over a third of the population – in need of vital assistance.…

The two-day National Conference on Eritrean Agricultural Studies 2026, held at the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers Hall in Asmara under the theme “Advancing Sustainable Agri-food Systems for National Economic Growth,” concluded today. At the conference, 76 research papers were presented on topics including Agricultural Extension and Farmers’ Adoption; Agricultural Digitalization; Value Chains and Agribusiness; Food Safety, Security and Nutrition; Agricultural Biotechnology and Laboratory Services; Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation; Genetic Resources and Biodiversity Conservation; and Agricultural Policy, Regulatory Frameworks and Governance.…

On 19 August 2026, Deputy Director General, Asia and Pacific Directorate, Amb. Jane B. Makori, held bilateral talks with the Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Thailand to Kenya, H.E. Ms. Jirusaya Birananda, to explore opportunities to deepen and diversify the Kenya–Thailand strategic partnership. The discussions focused on translating longstanding political goodwill into tangible economic, development and people-to-people outcomes, with priority areas including agriculture, trade and investment, health, tourism, education, culture, development cooperation, the blue economy and maritime cooperation, as well as coordination on regional and multilateral issues.…