The series of military takeovers threaten trade treaties and agreements, creating an environment of uncertainty for businesses and investors in the affected countries with a spillover effect on neighboring countries. In response to the coups, Western powers and ECOWAS applied heavy trade and financial sanctions on Niger and Gabon. Besides hampering inter-continental trade, recent data from the John Hopkins China-Africa Research Initiative have revealed that the Africa’s loss is other regions’ gain. This and many other reasons are a huge part of why trade within Africa remains very low while China continues to gain, experts have said. As a result, intra-African trade remains the lowest in world trade, standing at around 15% compared to approximately 66%, 44% and 63% intra-regional in the case of Europe, North America and Asia/Oceania respectively.

Netanyahu appeared shortly thereafter, affirming that Israel was in a state of war. The Israeli security apparatus appeared taken by surprise, sending out no warning. Palestinians in Gaza protested along the Israeli security fence. It may also have wanted to make its move against the background of external powers being preoccupied with the war in Ukraine. From its side, Hizbollah may encourage Palestinian groups in Lebanon to enter the fray, opening a second front for Israel in the north, as occurred during the 2021 Gaza war and again in April, when tensions were running high around al-Aqsa.

Fernando Staudt, International Accounts Manager Altus Sistemas Automação SAS spoke to ESI Africa at Enlit Africa about automation solutions that can help South Africa. He was joined by Jacques Dreyer of VisiPraxis who explains how they use Altus systems to integrate wind turbines into the national grid. Find out more about Altus Automation Systems.

Laundry belonging to people who were displaced by the earthquake is put out against a tree in Ouirgane, outside Marrakech, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Villagers in hard-hit regions are weighing how to best rebuild as Moroccan authorities begin to providing rehousing funds to those whose homes were destroyed by last month's earthquake. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)Laundry belonging to people who were displaced by the earthquake is put out against a tree in Ouirgane, outside Marrakech, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)Laundry belonging to people who were displaced by the earthquake is put out against a tree in Ouirgane, outside Marrakech, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. In the aftermath of last month's earthquake, the IMF approved a $1.3 billion loan for Morocco to “help strengthen its preparedness and resilience against natural disasters."

According to Gibson Ncube, the author of Queer Bodies in African Films, there has been a steady growth in films depicting the African queer experience despite some countries efforts to stigmatize and criminalize the LGBTIQ+ community. Despite their often-facing censorship at home, the films continue to be produced and their stories give the broader world some meaningful insight into queer life in Africa. One of the main differences between films north and south of the Sahara is the openness of depicting queerness. In north African films, queerness exists in silence and is expressed through suggestive language. But the films capture the cultural and social realities of the societies being portrayed.

“Morocco’s Quest for Stronger and Inclusive Growth” is the title of a book edited by Roberto Cardarelli and Taline Koranchelian of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), offering a comprehensive overview of the progress scored by Moroccan economy over recent decades. The book “Morocco’s quest for stronger and inclusive growth” is part of the “Road to Marrakech 2023” operation. The authors of the book underline that over the past three decades, Morocco has made remarkable progress in terms of economic stability and development. Morocco’s story offers valuable lessons for many developing countries still striving to build the foundations of their macroeconomic stability. “By putting the Kingdom’s recent economic and social advances into perspective, this book bears witness to Africa’s rise to power,” he stresses in the preface.

But what is far less well-known is that the buy also gives AGL a foothold in the air and ocean freight forwarding segment, ironically, through close co-operation with Bolloré Logistics, acquired by CMA CGM this year. This enables, for example, AGL to provide “international air freight shipping to and from Africa”, says its marketing. “AGL is developing modern, purpose-built warehousing facilities in these countries for our air freight business. He replied: “We will continue to work together, but will also open up to other networks that are looking to develop their businesses in Africa. To find out more about logistics in Africa, check out this Loadstar Premium article.

The president of the upcoming COP28 climate talks in Dubai called on Sunday (Oct. 08) for governments to abandon "fantasies" such as hastily ditching existing energy infrastructure in pursuit of climate goals. "We cannot unplug the energy system of today before we build the new system of tomorrow. Much of international climate diplomacy revolves around the thorny issue of how and when to quit fossil fuels. But efforts since then to extend such a target to all fossil fuels have foundered, most recently at last month's G20 summit in India. The goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels was set at the 2015 climate talks in Paris.

The Moroccan King, government and people set an example of national solidarity following the devastating earthquake that killed 3000 in the Atlas Mountains. The difficult Atlas Mountains terrain and landslides were defied by Moroccan rescuers and civilians who took matters in their hand without foreign assistance. Morocco’s social media is awash with civil society activities including building schools and delivering containers to villagers ahead of the snowy season. Morocco however has said that foreign aid can contribute to the financial effort to rebuild the area. Morocco plans to invest 12 billion dollars to develop the High Atlas area focusing on reconstruction and the upgrade of infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia on Monday unveiled an initiative to allow companies to purchase credits offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, part of the Gulf kingdom's stated goal of hitting net-zero emissions by 2060. Carbon credits have become popular tools globally for companies seeking to offset their carbon emissions and proclaim their commitment to the environment. AlJishi told a panel on Monday that Saudi officials were keen to implement safeguards against "double counting and double issuance". Saudi Arabia announced in 2021 that it was targeting net zero emissions by 2060. Environmental activists are skeptical, pointing to simultaneous calls by Saudi officials for ramped-up investment in fossil fuels.

“Naturally, we’re all focused on our eastern flank, but we remain acutely aware of developments on our southern flank,” one NATO diplomat told Euractiv. Tackle threats to NATOAccording to three NATO diplomats, more dialogue is needed as a first step to restart the relationship. However, one of the NATO diplomats said, hinting at some concrete or tangible support should be part of the process. Two NATO diplomats say that Brazil, South Africa, India, and Indonesia could be other potential partners in the future. “NATO partnerships are important and contribute to security and stability inside and outside the alliance,” they also told Euractiv.

Two days after Hamas and other Palestinian factions launched an unprecedented surprise attack from Gaza, killing more than 700 Israelis and taking more than 100 hostages, Israeli forces continue to battle for control of several towns in southern Israel. Year after year, observers have been warning that the status quo in Gaza could not last, and yet year after year it stubbornly did. It was a testament to how sustainable an unsustainable situation can be—until the moment, which often comes as a surprise, when it no longer is. Saturday’s attack marked that moment in Israel’s standoff with Hamas. It also represented a shocking military and intelligence failure, as Israeli forces were taken by surprise by an operation that undoubtedly required months of planning.

In early September, Tunisian authorities arrested Mondher Ounissi, the interim head of the Ennahda opposition party, and Abdel Karim Harouni, the head of the party’s Shura Council. As the latest in a wave of arrests targeting Tunisian opposition figures, the detentions had a repetitive feel that reinforced the status quo, rather than signaling an escalation of the country’s democratic erosion under President Kais Saied. Nevertheless, coverage of the arrests in local media temporarily drowned out some of the more immediate challenges Tunisians have been dealing with in recent months, including inflation, scarcity of essential food staples like bread and sugar, and a state moving closer toward financial default. In fact, the two stories are inseparable, marking the two constants of Saied’s Tunisia: Dissidents and opposition politicians continue to be put behind bars, and the economy continues to worsen. And if the government is silencing more and more opposition voices, it is in part because it lacks palatable solutions or a long-term plan for the economic crisis.

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaks during the opening Ceremony of the Middle East and North Africa Climate Week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri Acquire Licensing RightsRIYADH, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will launch a greenhouse gas credits scheme early next year that will allow companies to offset their emissions by buying credits from projects that voluntarily cut or remove greenhouse gas emissions, the scheme's website said on Monday. Participation in the scheme, which aligns with Article 6 of the Paris climate agreement, is voluntary and project-based, covers greenhouse gas and non-greenhouse gas "metrics across all sectors" and is open to the public and private sectors as well as subsidiaries of foreign firms. A year ago, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, said it would set up the Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (RVCMC) with Saudi's Tadawul Group, operator of the Riyadh-based Saudi Exchange. Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi and Pesha Magid; Writing by Yousef Saba and Nadine Awadalla; Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

|Pic: Shutterstock.comThe cotton yarn markets in Delhi and Ludhiana, north India, experienced a ₹2 per kg decline in prices due to poor demand from the weaving sector. Additional downward pressure comes from limited domestic demand for high-value garments and low global demand affecting the textile industry. Panipat also reports a ₹2 per kg decrease in recycled yarn prices.