Features

SUDAN (Capital Markets in Africa): Sudan’s military leader met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and agreed to work toward normalizing relations, in what would be a historic step for the Arab League member that’s never officially recognized the Jewish state. The surprise meeting between Netanyahu and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s sovereign council, came Monday at the end of a visit by the Israeli leader to Uganda that was part of his latest drive to build…

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) – For a few tumultuous years, Tesla Inc. gave the bulls reason to believe and bears reason to doubt. Sure, Elon Musk was pulling off what legacy automakers tried and failed to do — make electric cars cool — but he was presiding over an inexperienced enterprise, and the old guard would catch up. As Tesla observers try to understand how and why the stock has tripled in a little more than three…

Cape Town, 4th February 2020; Africa’s move towards solar energy is rapidly underway. Many African nations have employed solar energy as a solution to tackling climate change, keeping abreast of their development and ensuring food security. Extensive research from some of the world’s most renowned energy experts has elucidated that no other energy source, including hydro and wind, can provide power and have an impact as sustainable, reliable, and efficient as solar. According to industry…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa)- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended his track record on reform and said policy measures being implemented by the government will yield stronger economic growth in time. Ramaphosa, 67, is facing a growing chorus of criticism that he’s taking too long to reverse nine years of misrule by his predecessor Jacob Zuma that hobbled the economy. The state’s inability to undertake reforms has been constrained by infighting over policy direction within the ruling African…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – China said the U.S. “inappropriately overreacted” to the deadly virus that originated there and hasn’t provided much help to counter the outbreak, disputing the Trump administration’s claim that it offered assistance. “The U.S. government hasn’t provided any substantial assistance to us, but it was the first to evacuate personnel from its consulate in Wuhan, the first to suggest partial withdrawal of its embassy staff, and the first to impose…

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) – A momentous, if anticlimactic, few days lie ahead in Washington as the Senate hears closing arguments Monday in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, then holds two days of debate before voting for an all-but-guaranteed acquittal. In between, Democrats in Iowa’s caucuses will take the first step Monday night toward choosing the candidate who’ll run against Trump in November. And on Tuesday night, the president will deliver the annual State…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The U.S. has no plans to pull all troops out of Africa even as it looks at how to adjust forces for strategic priorities led by competition with China and Russia, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said. “We are not going to totally withdraw forces from Africa,” Esper said at a Pentagon news conference on Thursday, seeking to allay growing concerns on the continent that a review he’s ordered will result in…