Understanding the prospects & challenges of advancing the AfCFTA

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/15214251535_bff80b9c91_k-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-408839" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/15214251535_bff80b9c91_k-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/15214251535_bff80b9c91_k-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/15214251535_bff80b9c91_k-120x80.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/15214251535_bff80b9c91_k-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/15214251535_bff80b9c91_k-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/15214251535_bff80b9c91_k.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>All photos should be credited to Fairphone.  Under Creative Commons license &#8220;Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA.&#8221;  This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon our work non-commercially, as long as you credit us and license our new creations under the identical terms. creativecommons.org/licenses</figcaption></figure>



LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) &#8211; Tin production from Rwanda has slowed due to restrictions forcing businesses to operate at 50% of their workforce in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus infections, the International Tin Association (ITA) said.



Tin concentrates production in Rwanda, which has averaged 200 tonnes a month this year, could be halved in the short term as it did in the first lockdown last year, the association said.



Rwanda mandated a curfew from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. and ordered all offices, including government offices, to close from July 1 for two weeks in eight districts and the capital Kigali.



Rwanda&#8217;s tin output fell 25% to 1,700 tonnes of tin concentrates in 2020 due to the impact of coronavirus, the ITA said. The country accounts for about 0.6% of global concentrates output and 0.1% of global refined production.



&#8220;However, following the lockdown, production recovered rapidly and we suspect that the impact of this two-week lockdown on annual production will be relatively immaterial.&#8221;



The government was not immediately available for comment but told Reuters on June 29 that the lockdown would not affect mineral exports.



(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala)

All photos should be credited to Fairphone.     Under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA.”     This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon our work non-commercially, as long as you credit us and license our new creations under the identical terms.  creativecommons.org/licenses

Rwanda tin output could be hit by lockdown rules – ITA

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NAIROBI, June 30 (Reuters) &#8211; Kenya&#8217;s economy will grow by 4.5% this year as vaccinations and lockdown easing help it recover from a coronavirus-induced slump last year, although it still remained highly vulnerable to the pandemic, the World Bank said on Wednesday.



Growth for the East African nation which relies on farming and services like tourism, is expected to climb to above 5% in the subsequent two years, the bank said in a biannual report.



The projection for this year&#8217;s growth is based on firms boosting production and investments as lockdown measures are lifted, a slight recovery in the services sector due to vaccinations, and adequate crop harvests, the bank said.



The main risks include a slow vaccination programme caused by supply shortfalls and logistical challenges, as well as any weakening in the global economy which could curb demand for Kenya&#8217;s exports.



&#8220;The near-term economic outlook for Kenya, as elsewhere, remains unusually uncertain and contingent on the course of the pandemic,&#8221; the World Bank said.



It urged the government to enhance bank supervision after the quality of assets was hit by the impact of the coronavirus crisis, and to stick to its debt reduction path through raising more revenue and cutting wastage.



(Reporting by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

istockphoto-1250489640-640×640

Kenya’s economy to bounce back this year but still vulnerable -World Bank

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="633" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/14547702548_84e525bb16_k-820x633.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-408278" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/14547702548_84e525bb16_k-820x633.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/14547702548_84e525bb16_k-300x232.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/14547702548_84e525bb16_k-104x80.jpg 104w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/14547702548_84e525bb16_k-768x593.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/14547702548_84e525bb16_k-1536x1186.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/14547702548_84e525bb16_k.jpg 2047w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Francis Gatare, CEO of Rwanda&#8217;s Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board Photo: via Flickr</figcaption></figure>



KIGALI, June 29 (Reuters) &#8211; New stricter lockdown measures to combat a surge in COVID-19 cases in Rwanda will not affect the country&#8217;s ability to export minerals, the chief executive of Rwanda&#8217;s mines board said on Tuesday.



Rwanda mandated a curfew from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. and ordered all offices, including government offices, to close from July 1 for two weeks in eight districts and the capital Kigali.



&#8220;I don&#8217;t believe the current measures will affect our normal services to the Mining Companies,&#8221; Francis Gatare, CEO of Rwanda&#8217;s Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board, told Reuters in an email.



Export permits for minerals are processed online, Gatare said, meaning they will not be disrupted by government offices being shut. The transportation of commercial goods is permitted under the COVID-19 guidelines, Gatare added.



Rwanda is a leading producer of tin, tungsten, and tantalum. The country produced 1,200 tonnes of tin, 1,000 tonnes of tungsten, and 270 tonnes of tantalum in 2020 according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 



(Reporting by Clement Uwiringiyimana; Writing by Helen Reid; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Francis Gatare, CEO of Rwanda’s Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board

Rwanda COVID-19 measures won’t affect mining exports, official says

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/46672481675_f76510f783_k-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-408265" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/46672481675_f76510f783_k-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/46672481675_f76510f783_k-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/46672481675_f76510f783_k-120x80.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/46672481675_f76510f783_k-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/46672481675_f76510f783_k-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/46672481675_f76510f783_k.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>April 11, 2019 &#8211; WASHINGTON DC &#8211; 2019 World Bank/ IMF Spring Meetings. Building Human Capital in Africa: The Future of a Generation. His Majesty King Letsie III King of the Kingdom of Lesotho; Emtithal Mahmoud Spoken-word poet and UNHCR Goodwill ambassador; Paula Ingabire Minister of ICT, Rwanda; Ruth Kagia Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President of Kenya; Dalitso Kabambe Governor for the Reserve Bank of Malawi; Hafez Ghanem Vice President, Africa; Aïchatou Boulama Kané Minister of Planning, Niger; DJ Switch (Erica Armah-Bra Bulu Tandoh) Musician, Poet, Dancer, Motivational Speaker, Actress; Julie Gathoni Sumira Gichuru Entrepreneur; Wawira Njiru Founder of Food 4 Education. Photo: World Bank / Ian Foulk</figcaption></figure>



LILONGWE, June 29 (Reuters) &#8211; The former governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi, Dalitso Kabambe, and three other former senior officials have been charged with four counts of financial impropriety, including money laundering, at a magistrates&#8217; court in Lilongwe.



The charges on Tuesday follow his arrest on Monday and come in the wake of a forensic audit by Deloitte which showed the central bank made several irregular payments to companies linked to the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party, including to a local bank listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange.



Kabambe, who has denied any wrongdoing, has not yet entered a plea.



After being replaced at the central bank by the new president last year, he joined the Democratic Progressive Party and is seen as running for the party leadership before the next national election in 2025.



An economist, Kabambe held several senior government positions, including secretary to the Treasury before his appointment to the central bank.



He remains in custody after a ruling on his bail application was postponed to Wednesday. 



(Reporting by Frank Phiri; Editing by Alison Williams)

April 11, 2019 – WASHINGTON DC – 2019 World Bank/ IMF Spring Meetings. Building Human Capital in Africa: The Future of a Generation. His Majesty King Letsie III King of the Kingdom of Lesotho; Emtithal Mahmoud Spoken-word poet and UNHCR Goodwill ambassador; Paula Ingabire Minister of ICT, Rwanda; Ruth Kagia Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President of Kenya; Dalitso Kabambe Governor for the Reserve Bank of Malawi; Hafez Ghanem Vice President, Africa; Aïchatou Boulama Kané Minister of Planning, Niger; DJ Switch (Erica Armah-Bra Bulu Tandoh) Musician, Poet, Dancer, Motivational Speaker, Actress; Julie Gathoni Sumira Gichuru Entrepreneur; Wawira Njiru Founder of Food 4 Education. Photo: World Bank / Ian Foulk

Former Malawi central bank chief charged with money laundering

Rwanda

Rwanda, Ghana seek to deepen tourism, trade & investment

DAR ES SALAAM, June 26 (Reuters) &#8211; President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Saturday that Tanzania will look to revive a $10 billion stalled port project on the eastern coast of the country.



Tanzania inked a framework agreement in 2013 with China Merchants Holdings International to construct the port and a special economic zone that aimed to transform the east African country into a trade and transport hub to rival its neighbours.



The government of the late president John Magufuli, whom Hassan succeeded after he died in March, had complained that the conditions proposed by the investors, which included Oman&#8217;s State General Reserve Fund, were commercially unviable.



China Merchants, China&#8217;s largest port operator, said in 2019 that years of negotiations with Tanzania had failed to produce an agreement. [https://reut.rs/2M3EY4K ]



The port, was to be located in Bagamoyo, about 75 km (47 miles) north of Dar es Salaam.



&#8220;I would like to share with you the good news that we have started negotiations on reviving the whole Bagamoyo port project,&#8221; Hassan said during a gathering with the private sector in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. 



(Reporting by Nuzulack Dausen; editing by Omar Mohammed and Christina Fincher)

TANZANIA-POLITICS-HASSAN

Tanzania considers reviving $10 billion port project

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1231802719-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-407920" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1231802719-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1231802719-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1231802719-120x80.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1231802719-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1231802719-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1231802719-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>New Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, inspects a military parade following her swearing in the country&#8217;s first female President after the sudden death of President John Magufuli at statehouse in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on March 19, 2021. &#8211; Hassan, 61, a soft-spoken Muslim woman from the island of Zanzibar, will finish Magufuli&#8217;s second five-year term, set to run until 2025. (Photo by &#8211; / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



DAR ES SALAAM, June 25 (Reuters) &#8211; Tanzania&#8217;s President Samia Suluhu Hassan urged the public on Friday not to ignore a third wave of COVID-19, after her predecessor, the late John Magufuli, alarmed the world with his sceptical approach to the pandemic.



Since Hassan took office after the death of Magufuli in March, the government has changed tack from downplaying the crisis to calling for social distancing and emphasising mask wearing in public.



There is currently no COVID-19 vaccination programme in Tanzania, but the country has applied to join COVAX vaccine-sharing facility and officials there are working with health partners to develop a deployment plan, the World Health Organization said earlier this month.



The government has also asked the International Monetary Fund for a $571 million loan to help it tackle the challenges caused by the coronavirus.



&#8220;As you know the world is grappling with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,&#8221; Hassan said in a speech to Catholic bishops in Dar es Salaam.



&#8220;We came from the first wave and Tanzania was affected,&#8221; she added. &#8220;The second wave came and dropped and now there is the third wave. There are signs of the third wave in our country. We have COVID-19 patients who have been seen in this third wave.&#8221;



Before his death in March from long-term heart disease, Magufuli dismissed the threat of COVID-19, suggested Tanzania was free of the virus and called vaccines a Western conspiracy.



Under his watch, the country of 58 million people stopped reporting COVID-19 cases and deaths in May 2020.



Hassan said on Friday that during a recent visit to a hospital in Dar es Salaam she was told by a doctor about patients who were struggling with breathing issues.



&#8220;I asked him to say the truth &#8211; &#8216;is it COVID-19?&#8217; He said, &#8216;yes, it is COVID-19,'&#8221; she told the crowd of religious leaders.



&#8220;This pandemic is here and we should not ignore it,&#8221; she said. 



(Writing by Omar Mohammed; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

Tanzania’s president urges public not to ignore pandemic

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In recent years a new wave of talent across the continent and the diaspora has helped to bring African music to the world stage.

J900

Cloud9 Entertainment Founder sees great potential in East Africa’s music industry

JOHANNESBURG, June 23 (Reuters) &#8211; A bloc of southern African nations on Wednesday approved the deployment of troops to Mozambique to help the country combat a rapidly escalating Islamic State-linked insurgency in Mozambique that threatens stability in the relatively peaceful region, the bloc&#8217;s executive secretary said.



The 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) had approved the deployment of its standby force, part of a regional defence pact, Stergomena Lawrence Tax said, reading out a communique following a meeting of the bloc&#8217;s leaders in Mozambique&#8217;s capital Maputo. 



(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Toby Chopra)

U.S. says Chad rebels heading towards capital from north

Southern African nations agree to deploy forces to Mozambique – communique

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="548" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1153379447-820x548.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-407655" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1153379447-820x548.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1153379447-300x201.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1153379447-120x80.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1153379447-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1153379447-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1153379447-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>MOSCOW, RUSSIA &#8211; JULY 3, 2019: Seychelles&#8217; Ambassador to Russia Louis Sylvestre Radegonde presenting his credentials to Russia&#8217;s President Vladimir Putin during a ceremony at the Moscow Kremlin&#8217;s Alexander Hall. Mikhail Metzel/TASS (Photo by Mikhail Metzel\TASS via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, June 23 (Reuters) &#8211; Seychelles said on Wednesday it is looking to diversify its economy beyond its mainstay of tourism into areas such as fisheries after visitor numbers were battered by restrictions to arrest the spread of COVID-19.



The Indian Ocean archipelago saw revenue from tourism plunge by 61%, a loss of $322 million last year, as tourist arrivals dropped by 70%. Authorities closed off the island nation early in the coronavirus pandemic to stem its spread.



The move starved resorts, cruise ship ports and nature reserves of visitors.



&#8220;It&#8217;s been a massive challenge,&#8221; Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde told the Qatar Economic Forum on Wednesday.



&#8220;The economy depends still on tourism. We are looking now at diversifying the economy, moving into other sectors like fisheries,&#8221; he said.



&#8220;Overnight we saw the airport closed, no planes coming, no visitors coming in, and the economy just was on its knees.&#8221;



Other sectors of the economy which rely on tourism to thrive were at a standstill.



&#8220;That is why we pushed for vaccination, maximum people vaccinating, so we could reopen the borders like we did on March 25 this year,&#8221; Radegonde said.



Seychelles has been called one of the highest vaccinated nations in the world, employing the Sinopharm, Sputnik and Covishield shots.



It has administered close to 138,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far, which, assuming every person needs two doses, is enough to have inoculated about 70.5% of the country&#8217;s population, according to a Reuters analysis.



But the archipelago has also seen a surge in infections.



Radegonde said the high rates of vaccination had led some people to relax their guard. &#8220;People became a bit over-confident, dropped their guard and forgot about social distancing, started partying,&#8221; he said.



An increased rate of contact tracing may also have contributed to the reporting of more positive cases, he added.



The country is now concentrating on vaccinating the remaining 5,000-6,000 people who are still to be inoculated before it can contemplate any booster shots that might be needed, Radegonde said. 



(Reporting by Omar Mohammed; Editing by Jan Harvey)

Russian President Putin receives credentials from foreign ambassadors

Seychelles looking to diversity economy beyond tourism post-COVID – minister

ADDIS ABABA, June 23 (Reuters) &#8211; Ethiopia&#8217;s parliamentary polls, held on Monday, were conducted in a &#8220;credible&#8221; manner, the African Union&#8217;s election observer mission said on Wednesday.



&#8220;Overall the election and election day processes were conducted in an orderly, peaceful and credible manner,&#8221; former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the head of the mission of 100 observers, told a news conference in Addis Ababa as authorities continued counting ballots.



The election in the country of 109 million people has been billed by the government as the first free vote in the country&#8217;s history. But it has been marred by an opposition boycott, war and reports of irregularities in some areas.



Authorities were unable to hold elections in four of Ethiopia&#8217;s 10 regions on Monday, though polling took place a day late in one of those regions, Sidama, on Tuesday, according to the elections board.



The board was expected to hold a news conference later on Wednesday. 



(Reporting by Ayenat Mersie; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Andrew Heavens, William Maclean)

download (7)

Ethiopia conducted election in a ‘credible’ manner, AU observers say

ADDIS ABABA, June 21 (Reuters) &#8211; Ethiopia held elections on Monday billed by the prime minister as proof of his commitment to democracy after decades of repressive rule, although voting was delayed due to violence in some areas and opposition parties boycotted the poll in others.



Election board chief Birtukan Midekssa said voting was mostly peaceful so far, but that several opposition parties had complained their agents were beaten and their badges confiscated in Amhara region and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples&#8217; Region. She did not say who was responsible.



&#8220;This will jeopardise the credibility of the election process and its result,&#8221; Birtukan warned. &#8220;Local officials and law enforcement officers should immediately take corrective measures.&#8221;



Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said last week the national and regional votes would be the &#8220;first attempt at free and fair elections&#8221; in Ethiopia, whose once booming economy has been hit by conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic.



But ethnic violence and printing mistakes have delayed elections in a fifth of constituencies, including all of those in Tigray, where Ethiopia&#8217;s military has been fighting the northern region&#8217;s former governing party, the Tigray People&#8217;s Liberation Front (TPLF), since November.



In Oromiya, Ethiopia&#8217;s most populous province, the largest opposition parties are boycotting the vote over what they say is intimidation by regional security forces.



Government officials did not return calls seeking comment about the allegations of intimidation.



Voting was mostly smooth in Addis Ababa, although nine polling stations opened late and some did not have enough ballots, Birtukan told a news conference.



Abiy, 45, oversaw sweeping political and economic reforms after his appointment in 2018 by the ruling coalition. But some rights activists say those gains are being reversed and he is coming under increasing international pressure over reports of abuses in the war in Tigray.



Abiy has said the government will hold anyone committing abuses in Tigray to account and the attorney general says more than 50 soldiers are on trial for either rape or killing civilians. No details of those cases have been released.



Results of the vote could reverberate beyond Ethiopia.



The Horn of Africa nation is a diplomatic heavyweight in a volatile region, providing peacekeepers to Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. With Africa&#8217;s second-biggest population, over a third aged under 18, it is also a major frontier market.



A CROWDED FIELD



Abiy&#8217;s newly-formed Prosperity Party is the frontrunner in a crowded field of candidates mostly from smaller, ethnically-based parties. Billboards with his party&#8217;s lightbulb symbol scatter the capital.



Former political prisoner Berhanu Nega is the only other prominent candidate not running on an ethnic ticket. But his Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice party has struggled to attract support outside cities.



&#8220;People are out in big numbers to vote,&#8221; Berhanu told Reuters after casting his ballot, saying his party was watching the process closely.



During the last election, the ruling coalition and its allies won all 547 seats. This time, more than 37 million of Ethiopia&#8217;s 109 million people are registered to vote, choosing from 46 parties for parliament.



Violence prevented voter registration in some areas.



The electoral board says more than 9,000 candidates are running this time &#8211; more than in any previous vote.



A second round of voting will take place in September for most constituencies where the vote was delayed.



No date has been set for voting in Tigray, where the United Nations says some 350,000 people face famine.



U.N. rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she expected a probe into reports of rights violations by &#8220;all parties to the conflict&#8221; in Tigray to be published in August.



The report is a joint investigation by the UN and the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.



Tigray is not Abiy&#8217;s only challenge. Ethnic violence in other regions has killed thousands since he took power.



Marketing director Yetayew Solomon, 30, told Reuters as he waited in line in the capital: &#8220;I will vote for a party that I think will bring peace.&#8221;



DEMOCRACY AND THE ECONOMY



Abiy&#8217;s reforms include lifting a ban on dozens of political parties and media outlets, releasing tens of thousands of political prisoners and easing restrictions on political gatherings.



But Fisseha Tekle from rights group Amnesty International said the government was still quashing dissent using a revised anti-terrorism law and new hate speech legislation that allows prison terms for online content.



&#8220;The government is using these laws to arrest people and keep them in prison for a long time,&#8221; Fisseha said.



Abiy&#8217;s spokewoman Billene Seyoum did not immediately respond to a request for comment but previously told Reuters: &#8220;There is no perfect environment; however, it cannot be said that a nascent democracy like Ethiopia is regressing.&#8221;



Many voters said they were also concerned about the economy.



Abiy has promised to bring in foreign investment and speed up electrification by filling a giant $4 billion hydropower dam on the Blue Nile, stoking tension with Egypt and Sudan, which fear the Nile water supplies they rely on might be interrupted.



But annual inflation is now about 20% and growth is forecast at just 2% this year after topping 10% before the pandemic.



&#8220;The cost of living is increasing,&#8221; said shopkeeper Murad Merga, whose window was crowded with ruling party posters. But he remained upbeat: &#8220;Everything will be fixed step by step.&#8221;



(Writing by Giulia Paravicini; Editing by Katharine Houreld, Edmund Blair and Catherine Evans)

Abiy Ahmed

Ethiopians vote in what government bills as first free election

East Africa

Understanding the prospects & challenges of advancing the AfCFTA

Rwanda tin output could be hit by lockdown rules – ITA

Captains of Industry: Norrsken Founder on his interest in Africa’s tech space

Identifying top education challenges that technology can address

Captains of Industry: Raptors’ Masai Ujiri on what it takes to run a successful sports franchise

Kenya’s economy to bounce back this year but still vulnerable -World Bank

Rwanda COVID-19 measures won’t affect mining exports, official says

Former Malawi central bank chief charged with money laundering

Rwanda, Ghana seek to deepen tourism, trade & investment

Tanzania considers reviving $10 billion port project

Tanzania’s president urges public not to ignore pandemic

Cloud9 Entertainment Founder sees great potential in East Africa’s music industry

Southern African nations agree to deploy forces to Mozambique – communique

Seychelles looking to diversity economy beyond tourism post-COVID – minister

Ethiopia conducted election in a ‘credible’ manner, AU observers say

Ethiopians vote in what government bills as first free election

Captains of Industry: BPR CEO on the impact of COVID-19 on digital payments

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East Africa

Understanding the prospects & challenges of advancing the AfCFTA

Rwanda tin output could be hit by lockdown rules – ITA

Captains of Industry: Norrsken Founder on his interest in Africa’s tech space

Identifying top education challenges that technology can address

Captains of Industry: Raptors’ Masai Ujiri on what it takes to run a successful sports franchise

Kenya’s economy to bounce back this year but still vulnerable -World Bank

Rwanda COVID-19 measures won’t affect mining exports, official says

Former Malawi central bank chief charged with money laundering

Rwanda, Ghana seek to deepen tourism, trade & investment

Tanzania considers reviving $10 billion port project

Tanzania’s president urges public not to ignore pandemic

Cloud9 Entertainment Founder sees great potential in East Africa’s music industry

Southern African nations agree to deploy forces to Mozambique – communique

Seychelles looking to diversity economy beyond tourism post-COVID – minister

Ethiopia conducted election in a ‘credible’ manner, AU observers say

Ethiopians vote in what government bills as first free election

Captains of Industry: BPR CEO on the impact of COVID-19 on digital payments

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