A colossal 2,492-carat diamond, the largest found in over a century, was unearthed at Botswana’s Karowe Mine by Lucara Diamond Corp on Thursday. It is the second-largest diamond ever discovered weighing nearly half a kilogram, following the 1905 Cullinan Diamond. Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi showcased the gem at a viewing ceremony, expressing the country’s deep connection to diamonds. The Karowe Mine has yielded several large diamonds in recent years, including the 1,758-carat Sewelo and 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona. Valuation and sale plans for this extraordinary stone remain undetermined, but Lucara credits advanced X-ray technology for the find.
The United Nations Libya mission raised alarm on Thursday over rising tensions in Tripoli, where reports of armed factions mobilizing and threatening force have emerged amid a dispute over control of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL). The mission’s deputy head, Stephanie Koury, highlighted a rapid deterioration in Libya’s political and military situations over the past two months, with armed factions clashing in densely populated areas, endangering civilians. The current crisis intensified after political factions attempted to replace CBL head Sadiq al-Kabir, leading to rival factions mobilizing on opposing sides.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong on Friday emphasized the importance of deepening China-Africa cooperation ahead of the upcoming China-Africa summit in Beijing next month. Speaking at a press conference, Chen highlighted the need for China and Africa to advocate for the Global South in global governance reforms during the summit. As the world faces unprecedented changes, Chen noted Africa’s growing unity and self-improvement efforts. Chinese President Xi Jinping will open the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit on September 5th, announcing new aid for Africa. Representatives from 53 African countries will attend the three-day summit.
On Thursday, August 22, trucks carrying essential food supplies crossed the Adre border between Chad and Sudan for the first time since February, delivering aid to over 12,000 people facing famine in West Darfur’s Kereneik area. The shipment, which includes sorghum, oil, and rice, marks a crucial breakthrough for humanitarian efforts in war-torn Sudan, where heavy rains have exacerbated the crisis. Sylvain Natural from the World Food Program (WFP) praised the reopening of the border. The border had been closed earlier this year due to security concerns, as the Sudanese armed forces feared it was being used to supply weapons to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Democratic Republic of Congo reported over 1,000 new mpox cases last week up till Tuesday, as African health authorities urgently seek vaccines to combat the growing outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the situation in Africa a global emergency. Mpox, a milder relative of smallpox, primarily spreads through close skin contact and has hit Congo the hardest, accounting for 94% of Africa’s 2024 cases. With limited testing capabilities, the true scale of the outbreak is likely underestimated. The emergence of a potentially more transmissible variant in Congo has heightened global concern, with a case detected in Sweden. Despite pledges of 265,000 vaccine doses from the European Union, United States, and Japan, Congo alone needs 3 million doses to control the outbreak.
Senegal made history with the successful launch of its first satellite, GAINDESAT-1A, from California on Friday, joining the ranks of just 12 African nations with surveillance and telecommunications satellites in space. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye hailed the achievement as a significant step toward Senegal’s “technological sovereignty.” Maram Kaïré, head of Senegal’s space agency, called the launch a historic milestone in the country’s aspirations to become a space-faring nation. Built by Senegalese engineers in collaboration with France’s Montpellier University Space Centre, the nanosatellite was launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. GAINDESAT-1A will provide data to support state agencies managing water resources, civil aviation, and meteorology.
Kenya’s new finance minister, John Mbadi, announced plans to reintroduce some controversial taxes that sparked deadly protests earlier this year. Mbadi revealed in a televised interview, that a tax amendment bill would reintroduce measures from the previously withdrawn finance bill, including taxes on environmentally harmful goods. This move has reignited public anger, especially among those already frustrated by the rising cost of living. The youth-led protest movement has vowed to continue demonstrations, which have already resulted in over 50 deaths since mid-June amid allegations of police brutality. President William Ruto, who had defended the tax hikes, faces increasing pressure from protesters demanding his resignation, although he has refused to step down. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), which supports Kenya’s economic reform program, had previously suggested some of the tax changes and expressed confidence in finding a balanced solution after the initial bill was withdrawn.
Malawi this week received an $11.2 million insurance payout to address the severe drought linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon, which led the country to declare a state of disaster earlier this year. The African Development Bank, in collaboration with the African Risk Capacity Group, provided the funds, which will aid food assistance for around 235,000 households and direct relief payments to over 100,000 households. Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera described the payout as a “lifeline” for the country’s vulnerable populations. The drought, which devastated Malawi’s food supply, affected 23 of its 28 districts, highlighting the broader crisis across southern Africa.
Egypt plans to restore its oil and gas production to normal levels by 2025, with the support of international partners, according to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Thursday. The country, which aimed to become a regional liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub after significant discoveries like the Zohr offshore gas field, faced setbacks due to foreign currency shortages that led to unpaid debts. The government has initiated a payment plan for 20% of its arrears, with the remainder to be settled over time. To address power shortages, Egypt resorted to load-shedding this summer and plans to import $1.18 billion worth of natural gas and mazut fuel oil. Currently, gas production stands at 5.7 billion cubic feet per day. In July, Egypt signed agreements with international companies, securing $340 million to boost production in the Mediterranean and Gulf of Suez.
The military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have addressed a formal complaint to the U.N. Security Council, accusing Ukraine of backing rebel groups in West Africa’s Sahel region. The complaint follows statements by Ukrainian military intelligence suggesting that Malian rebels received crucial information for their operations. This led Mali to cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine, with Niger joining in solidarity. The juntas interpret these comments as evidence of direct Ukrainian involvement, which they claim supports international terrorism. Ukraine has denied these allegations, asserting they are unfounded. The joint letter from the three nations calls for the Security Council to address what they describe as destabilizing foreign interference in the region.
Writer and researcher at Alafarika for Studies and Consultancy.