July, 2017

• 25 July

  Ethiopia-Djibouti rail line to start full operations in October

  The Chinese-built 756 km electrified rail project connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti will start commercial operations in October, said the Ethiopian transportation minister has announced. Speaking to Chinese news agency Xinhua, Ahmed Shide, Minister of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Transportation, said the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway is a showcase of China’s support for Ethiopia’s efforts to transform its economy through infrastructural development. …

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• 24 July

  All Africa Music Awards 2017 receives nearly 5,000 entries

  The 2017 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima) has received an overwhelming response after receiving 4,816 entries from African music artistes and music professionals at the close of the two-month entry submission process. The African Union and the International Committee of Afrima had opened the 2017 Afrima call for entries on 8 May 2017 giving an opportunity to …

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• 24 July

  Association of African fruit exporters to Europe launched in Brussels

  Afruibana, a group of fruit producers and exporters from Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana that aims to strengthen trade between Africa and EU, has been launched. The body was officially launched in Brussels during Cameroon’s Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana’s visit to European institutions on 19 July. The association will allow fruit producers on the continent to combine their …

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• 23 July

  Expect more wars in the Middle East – former German foreign minister

  The emergence of terror groups with global reach following the wars in the Middle East has shown that events in the explosive region have potentially devastating impact worldwide. In this by-lined article for Project Syndicate, Joschka Fischer, former German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor, sounds a note of warning to the international community that the imminent defeat of the so-called …

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• 22 July

  Don’t depend on governments to rebuild Africa – Akon tells youths

  Senegalese singer, songwriter and businessman Akon has called on African youth to play an active role in rebuilding the continent and not depend on governments. The American-born music star was addressing over 2,800 youth from all over Africa on Friday (21 July) in Rwanda’s capital Kigali during the final day of the maiden YouthConnekt Africa Summit organised to shape the …

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• 22 July

  FEATURE: Gambian asylum-seekers under pressure to leave Europe

  Louise Hunt, freelance journalist specialising in social affairs and international development, writes on the situation of Gambian migrants in Europe whose case for asylum has been weakened by the overthrow of their country’s long-reigning autocratic leader. The Gambia’s leader of 22 years, Yahya Jammeh, used to give Gambians good cause for claiming asylum, even if the majority were fleeing poverty …

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• 22 July

  10 Best African Festivals to end the Summer

  The annual summer season of African music and culture in Germany has been in full swing since April. Here are 10 Top Festivals, holding from now until the end of summer, promising an unforgettable experience:   Afrika-Orient Kulturfestival Bonn  28 – 30 July / Bonn, Bottlerplatz & Friedensplatz In addition to live performances by high-calibre musicians, story-tellers and dancers and …

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• 22 July

  ‘Everything will collapse’: German courts overwhelmed by asylum cases

  The number of cases filed by asylum seekers challenging the decisions of immigration authorities in German courts has brought the legal system to the brink of collapse, a top German judge has warned in an interview. The sheer number of cases filed has overwhelmed the civil courts of the country, said Robert Seegmuller, chairman of the Association of German Administrative …

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• 21 July

  CAF expands Africa Cup of Nations to 24 teams

  The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday passed a resolution to increase the number of participating teams in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from 16 to 24. The change will take effect from 2019 when Cameroon hosts it. The, tournament which has traditionally been held in January and February, will also be staged in …

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• 21 July

  Air France unveils low-cost airline Joon

  Air France has launched Joon, a new carrier that will start operating medium-haul flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle this autumn, followed by long-haul flights in summer 2018.  The name Joon, which echoes the word “jeune” for “young” in French, is aimed at young working adults aged 18 to 35 year, whose lifestyles revolve around digital technology, Air France said in …

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