Latest news with #pan-African
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
AU announces election of 2 new commissioners
ADDIS ABABA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has announced the completion of the election of all eight members of the top leadership of its secretariat, the African Union Commission (AUC). In a statement issued on Wednesday, the AU declared the election of two commissioners at its seventh Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, which was held in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, from July 10 to 13. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe from Equatorial Guinea has been appointed as AU commissioner for economic development, trade, tourism, industry, and minerals, while Gaspard Banyankimbona from Burundi was elected as AU commissioner for education, science, technology, and innovation, according to the AU. The election of the two posts was postponed at the AU's 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which was held in February in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The pan-African bloc said the new commissioners will be sworn in at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. The AU said the new commissioners were selected from the central African region, as per a decision of its Executive Council, to ensure gender parity, predictable rotation, merit-based selection and equitable distribution of the top eight jobs. All other regions secured their share of two members of the top leadership team, one male and one female each, in February, the statement noted. The AUC leadership structure comprises a chairperson, a deputy chairperson, and six commissioners, with the newly completed team to serve from 2025 to 2029.
Fashion Network
a day ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
Steinhoff offshoot to sell $1.6 billion of its Pepkor stake
Ibex, formerly known as Steinhoff International Holdings NV., will exit its 28% stake in Africa's largest clothing retailer Pepkor Holdings Ltd. The company will offer one billion shares, worth about 28 billion rand ($1.6 billion), according to the terms of the deal published Monday. Demand for the shares exceeded the stock being offered within minutes of the transaction launching, the terms show. Pepkor, which has almost 6,000 stores selling low-cost clothing, is tapping a pan-African boom in the use of phones for payment and banking services as well as for communication.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Egypt's top capitalists offer a hand of friendship to Burkina Faso's Ibrahim Traoré
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with the president of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, earlier this week and delivered a written message from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in a major move, geared towards strengthening pan-African unity. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty delivered a letter from President El-Sisi to Burkina Faso's President Ibrahim Traoré. The message emphasized Egypt's commitment to fostering peace, security, and bilateral relations within Africa. Abdelatty's visit aimed to enhance economic ties, focusing on private sector collaboration between Egypt and Burkina Faso. Contents of the letter emphasized Egypt's resolve to advance peace and security throughout the African continent by deepening bilateral relations and expanding collaboration with Burkina Faso in strategic areas. The North African country is eager to strengthen trade, investment, and economic ties, Abdelatty said in remarks made during his visit. He mentioned that fostering collaborations between the private sectors of the two countries was one of the main goals of his visit. Abdelatty was accompanied by a high-level delegation of 30 businesspeople and senior executives from some of Egypt's most prominent public and private companies, as seen on the Middle East Monitor. These stakeholders work in essential industries such as construction, energy, agriculture, medicines, and textiles. The foreign minister reiterated their willingness to support Burkina Faso's development goals under President Traoré's leadership. The delegation's engagement not only represents Egypt's increasing diplomatic involvement with West Africa, but it also positions Egyptian businesses to participate in the development of important infrastructural and industrial sectors in Burkina Faso. Abdelatty's trip to Ouagadougou is part of a larger five-nation West African tour that covers Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and Senegal, MedaAfrica notes. Egypt's regional outreach demonstrates its determination to reinvigorate strategic relationships and provide creative solutions to Africa's critical development and security concerns. In addition to economic discussions, Abdelatty thanked the Burkinabé government for supporting Dr. Khaled El-Anany, Egypt and Africa's candidate for the position of Director-General of UNESCO.
Time Out
2 days ago
- General
- Time Out
Kafe Utu, Singapore's first African café, just updated its brunch menu – here's why you need to try it
The year is 2019, and Singapore's first African café and lounge just landed on the scene. These days, founder Kurt Wagner is more known for his West African restaurant Tamba, which offers a reasonable $138 dinner tasting menu, but before that, Kafe Utu was where curious diners would flock to for a taste of African cuisine. My first visit to the café was in 2022. It didn't accept reservations back then so a crowd was pooling outside during dinner time, but what turned out to be a 90-minute wait proved to be worth it. The three-storey building was impressive at every corner – stunning portraits of African women on the first floor, large leather couches on the second floor for lounging around and mingling with strangers, and a charming alfresco area overlooking the neighbourhood. Tasteful decor aside, the vibe was lively and communal, and the service warm and friendly. Kafe Utu's dinner offerings consist of a pan-African spread of curries paired with rice and condiments, and it also serves brunch and an extensive list of specialty coffee, all roasted in-house. The recent brunch menu refresh sees returns of fan-favourite dishes as well as a couple of additions to keep things fresh. We're told that the previous version leaned more towards stews, rice and curries, while the updated features more bread – think chapati and batbout (a kind of Moroccan pita). Back by popular demand is the pulled pork breakfast ($27), a vibrant platter of spiced shredded pork shoulder topped with a poached egg and smoked barbecue sauce. On the side: refreshing kachumbari, fried plantains and viazi karai (deep-fried potatoes). Get a bit of everything and roll it all up in freshly baked chapati sheets. Or try the Mbuzi Mbaya 'Bad Goat' ($34), highly recommended by my dining companion. Think of it as an African version of the English big breakfast, with homemade goat sausages, marinated goat cheese, smoked pepper sauce, and the same fixings of kachumbari and chapati. We couldn't pass up the Yaba 'Wise Chief' Burger ($42), another much-anticipated comeback on the brunch menu. This towering burger was a mainstay at the café back in 2020, available only in limited quantities each day. At its heart is a thick, juicy slab of Angus brisket and chuck patty, stacked with another layer of smoked ox tongue. Yes, ox tongue – it appears intimidating at first, with a glossy, deep-red sheen, but don't be fooled. It's remarkably tender, richly beefy and completely free of any funky aftertaste. Smoky melted pepper jack cheese adds depth, while house-made pickles cut through the fattiness. Everything we try is spot-on so far and the portions are far from paltry – it's just a tad heavy for brunch. You get your fair share of deep-fried, spicy, smoky and meaty flavours here, so if that's not quite your idea of breakfast, it might be wiser to pop by later in the day before the café closes at 4.30pm for the dinner service. That said, coffee and desserts are a hit with our table. The alcoholic Utu Dome dessert is a classic – and quite the showstopper – with melted dark chocolate poured over a thin chocolate shell encasing crème de pâtissière, pink peppercorns, raspberry liqueur and seasonal berries ($24). New desserts include the sour cream cheesecake with peanut butter ($12) and tapioca fritters with coconut cream and an accompanying chocolate dip ($18). There are over six coffee options on the menu and eight specialty drinks under the Utu Specials section. Hatsu-Koi ($12) is the café's answer to the recently trending strawberry matcha latte, blending jasmine tea with matcha for added florality and using homemade strawberry purée. Meanwhile, classic beverages include the Bidibado ($8) – mocha with a peanut butter rim laced with roasted almonds and pink peppercorn; Malindi Latte ($8) – latte with a secret seven spice syrup; and The Karanga ($12) for sweet tooths, where iced white coffee is topped with peanut butter mascarpone cream.
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
El-Sisi sends message to Burkina Faso's Traoré as Egypt deepens West Africa outreach - Foreign Affairs
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty delivered a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Burkina Faso's transitional leader, Ibrahim Traoré, during a visit to Ouagadougou on Tuesday, part of Egypt's broader push to expand its political and economic footprint across West Africa. The letter, according to Egypt's foreign ministry, reaffirmed Cairo's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and promoting regional security, particularly in the face of mounting threats from armed groups in the Sahel. Abdelatty, who is on a multi-country tour of West Africa, emphasized Egypt's readiness to deepen investment in sectors ranging from construction and energy to agriculture and pharmaceuticals. He was accompanied by a delegation of 30 business leaders from major Egyptian firms. Egypt is also courting diplomatic backing. Abdelatty expressed appreciation for Burkina Faso's support of Egypt's candidate for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General, Khaled El-Enany, framing the nomination as a pan-African endeavour. Traoré praised Egypt's support for African states and pledged to facilitate Egyptian business activity in Burkina Faso. He also reaffirmed his country's support for El-Enany's candidacy. In security discussions, Abdelatty highlighted Egypt's 'comprehensive' counterterrorism strategy, which he said includes development and religious outreach alongside military measures. He offered Egyptian support in building Burkina Faso's national capacity, citing Al-Azhar's educational efforts and its scholarship programme for Burkinabe students. For his part, President Traoré conveyed his greetings and appreciation to President El-Sisi, praising Egypt's historic role in supporting African nations. Burkina Faso marks the second stop on Abdelatty's five-nation tour, which includes Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and Senegal. The tour follows Egypt's active role in the 47th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) earlier this month and comes amid regional shifts in security and diplomacy as Western alliances in the Sahel retreat. There, Abdelatty held talks with African leaders and AU officials to strengthen political ties, enhance trade, and promote investment, particularly in energy, construction, healthcare, and infrastructure. He also pushed for stronger African coordination on regional challenges. Counterterrorism topped the agenda in his meeting with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah in Abuja, where Abdelatty called for a practical framework to deepen Egypt–ECOWAS cooperation against extremism. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
