African Union Says EU Funds Secured for Its Mission in Somalia

African Union Says EU Funds Secured for Its Mission in Somalia

LAGOS, Capital Markets in Africa: The African Union said it secured 178 million euros ($199.6 million) of financial support from the European Union for its peacekeeping mission in Somalia, as the war-torn nation prepares for elections next month. The contract signed Wednesday covers the period from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 2016, with funds to be used for the allowances of mission troops and police, international and local civilian staff salaries and operational costs, the…

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Tunisia reaches deal with Petrofac protesters, in company talks

TUNIS, Capital Markets in Africa: Tunisia has reached a deal with protesters who have disrupted gas production by Petrofac for months, the government said on Friday, part of an effort to stop the British energy firm closing its business. Petrofac, which supplies 13 percent of Tunisia’s gas through the Chergui venture in the south, officially informed the government this week that it had started shutting down its local gas operations. Since January Petrofac has had…

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Nigerian Lawmakers to Probe Claim $17 Billion of Oil Stolen

Nigerian Lawmakers to Probe Claim $17 Billion of Oil Stolen

LAGOS, Capital Markets in Africa: Nigeria’s lower house of parliament ordered an investigation into whether $17 billion of fuel exports were stolen. Most of the oil and liquefied natural gas ended up in the U.S. and some went to China and Norway between 2011 and 2014, Johnson Agbonayinma, a lawmaker, told the House of Representatives in the capital, Abuja, on Thursday. The missing products include about 58 million barrels of oil and 727,000 metric tons…

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Libyan oil port takeover gives edge to eastern commander

Libyan oil port takeover gives edge to eastern commander

TRIPOLI, Capital Markets in Africa: Less than a fortnight after forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar swept into four of Libya’s oil ports, tankers are loading, production has jumped, and momentum has shifted firmly in the divisive former general’s favour. For Haftar’s opponents, and for Western powers, the move on the ports was alarming. Haftar and his backers in eastern Libya have been in a stand-off for months with a unity government in Tripoli, blocking any…

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OPEC Under Pressure to Act in Algiers as Surplus Triples

OPEC Under Pressure to Act in Algiers as Surplus Triples

LAGOS, Capital Markets in Africa: As OPEC prepares to meet in Algiers next week, the oil market is reminding the group’s members what’s at stake if they fail to reach a deal. More than 800,000 barrels a day of additional crude is pouring into the global market this month compared with August as Russia pumps at an all-time high while Libya and Nigeria restore disrupted supplies, according to statements from their ministry officials. That would…

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Egypt’s central bank unexpectedly keeps rates unchanged in Sept

Egypt’s central bank unexpectedly keeps rates unchanged in Sept

CAIRO, Capital Markets in Africa: Egypt’s central bank kept its key interest rates unchanged at a monetary policy meeting on Thursday, confounding a unanimous forecast by analysts that it would hike borrowing costs to curb inflation. Egypt has been struggling to revive its economy since a 2011 revolution drove away tourists and foreign investors, its main sources of vital foreign currency. Its reserves have more than halved since, to around $16.5 billion in August. The…

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Egypt | To loosen its currency peg Egypt needs sustainable dollar inflows

Egypt | To loosen its currency peg Egypt needs sustainable dollar inflows

CAIRO, Capital Markets in Africa: Egypt is rebuilding its foreign reserves with the help of loans and aid, easing a shortage of dollars and preparing the way for a loosening of its fixed exchange rate. But economists and bankers say that unless it finds a sustainable inflow of dollars the import-dependent country could soon find itself back at square one. Egypt has struggled to earn dollars since a 2011 revolt drove away tourists and foreign…

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