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  • UNWTO: International tourism – strongest half-year results since 2010

    AFGHANISTAN, 2017/09/09 Destinations worldwide welcomed 598 million international tourists in the initial six months of 2017, some 36 million additional than in the same period of 2016. At 6%, increase was well above the trend of recent years, making the current January-June period the strongest half-year since 2010. Visitor numbers reported by destinations around the world reflect strong request for international travel in the initial half of 2017, according to the new UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Worldwide, international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) increased by 6% compared to the same six-month period last year, well above the sustained and consistent trend of 4% or higher increase since 2010. This represents the strongest half-year in seven years.
  • Why governments need to support the financial sector to meet the unserved needs of smallholder farmers

    BOTSWANA, 2017/09/09 This year, under the leadership of H.E. President Alassane Ouattara and the theme of “Accelerating Africa’s Path to Prosperity: Growing Inclusive Economies and Jobs through Agriculture”, the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2017 is shaping up as a premier platform to showcase ongoing evolution in Africa’s agricultural transformation schedule and to scale up the political, policy, and financial commitments needed to achieve the Malabo Declaration and the world development schedule around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following the launch of the landmark annual Africa Agriculture Status Statement (ASSR) at the AGRF taking place in Cote d’Ivoire from 4-8 September 2017, the major conclusion centres around the power of entrepreneurs and the free market in driving Africa’s economic increase from food production. This is owing to the fact that a lot of businesses are waking up to opportunities of a rapidly growing food market in Africa that may be worth additional than $1 trillion each year by 2030 to substitute imports with high price food made in Africa.
  • International Arrivals To Africa Reach More Than 18 Million In 2017

    BOTSWANA, 2017/09/09 Market Research Company Euromonitor International revealed before this week the key trends shaping travel and tourism in Africa at the 41st Annual World Tourism Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. According to Euromonitor International’s new data, international arrivals to Africa grew by 6.5 % in 2017, to reach 18,550 million, up from 16,351 million in 2012. Key markets such as South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique, Cameroon, Mauritius and Tanzania accounted for 70 % of international trips to the Sub-Saharan African region.
  • Africa: USA-Africa - No Policy? Bad Policy? or Both?

    BOTSWANA, 2017/08/30 "Africa is terra incognita for the Trump Government: a continent it cares little - and understands even less - about. With no dyed-in-the-wool Trumpian Africa hands available, the government appears ready to cede Africa policy making to career civil servants and a few mainstream Republican appointees." - Matthew T. Page The headline to Page's article in Quartz Africa states that "Donald Trump could be getting his US-Africa policy right by simply not having one." His view is actually additional nuanced, in judging that no policy would likely be only "less bad" than explicitly "bad policy" that may result from better White Home interest in Africa.
  • Africa: U.S. State Department To Get Experienced Diplomat in Key Africa Post

    BOTSWANA, 2017/08/30 Donald Yamamoto, who has extensive diplomatic experience in Africa inclunding two tours as a U.S. ambassador, will take office as Acting Assistant Secretary of National for Africa on 5 September. He is the second career official tapped for a senior policy position on Africa in the Trump government.Donald Yamamoto, who has extensive diplomatic experience in Africa including two tours as a U.S. ambassador, will take office as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Africa on 5 September. He is the second career official tapped for a senior policy position on Africa in the Trump administration. Senior CIA analyst Cyril Sartor was hired as senior director for Africa at the National Security Council earier this month Key Africa jobs at the Defense Department (DOD) and the U.S. Agency for International Development remain vacant. "Having someone with Don Yamamoto's experience in that post is very significant," Mel Foote, Constituency for Africa president, told AllAfrica. "As Africa confronts a lot of challenges, we want to see responsible U.S. engagement in partnership with African governments and civil society organizations."
  • Africa’s economic growth in 2016 was driven by East Africa

    BOTSWANA, 2017/08/20 While the continent’s major economies were hit by the fall in commodity prices in 2016, Africa retained its position as the second-fastest growing continent globally recording an average of 2.2% GDP increase, behind only South Asia, according to the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Much of Africa’s increase in 2016, AfDB says, was driven by East Africa where several nations recorded “strong performances.” In general, of the continent’s sub-regions, East Africa posted the highest increase rate with 5.3%, led by Ethiopia.
  • Improved liquidity, currency volatility can give Sub-Saharan Africa real estate markets a Boost

    KENYA, 2017/08/20 Real estate markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are seeing record levels of international capital inflow while a lot of markets in Sub-Saharan Africa are lagging behind. The new JLL Capital Markets research has identified liquidity and foreign exchange volatility as two key reasons impacting real estate capital flows into Sub-Saharan Africa real estate markets. A two-speed cycle appears to have evolved in emerging economies with some racing ahead and others lagging behind.
  • Healthcare Property holds benefits for Africa

    CANADA, 2017/08/20 As Africa tries to build up a listed real estate industry, healthcare real estate investment trust (REITs) become additional attractive on the continent. They would formalise an industry with much potential, advises Ortneil Kutama, Africa Property News Media Director. “REITs are well structured and provide investors with tax benefits and regular gain in theory as long as they make consistent profits,” Kutama said. Nations like South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Morocco and Nigeria, which have growing populations, improving hospitals and healthcare industries, could gain capital boost. If the hospitals in these nations were listed, investors could bring that major capital boost.
  • Africa property offers rich pickings for the brave

    BOTSWANA, 2017/08/20 Some property pundits believe there are major opportunities for investors or companies on the continent. While most pundits will acknowledge that the saying “Africa is not for sissies” rings authentic at the same time as it comes to property investment , some commentators believe that there are major opportunities for investors on the continent.
  • Bill Gates sees US likely to maintain aid levels for Africa

    BOTSWANA, 2017/08/15 The US will probably maintain its current levels of aid to Africa despite President Donald Trump’s proposals to slash funding, according to Bill Gates, the world’s richest man. Trump said in May his government would no longer allocate funding for family planning, a move that has the potential to undermine aid programs in the poorest nations in the world. However, with Congress in control of the budget, it’s unlikely that all cuts proposed by the Trump government will go ahead next year, Gates said in an interview in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital.