Episodes

  • European Union Agrees To Tackle Syria Sanctions

    European Union Agrees To Tackle Syria Sanctions
    Jan 13 2025
    European foreign ministers have agreed to meet at the end of January to discuss lifting sanctions on Syria as foreign ministers and top diplomats from Western countries and the Middle East convened in Saudi Arabia in the first such regional meeting since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad last month. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, says that the foreign ministers would convene in Brussels on January 27 to probe how the 27-member bloc might approach the issue. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria while stressing the importance of lifting unilateral and international sanctions imposed on Syria, as their continuation hinders the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction.

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    1 min
  • Egypt’s Inflation Decelerates For The Second Consecutive Month

    Egypt’s Inflation Decelerates For The Second Consecutive Month
    Jan 13 2025
    The country’s headline inflation for December 2024 slowed to about 24.1%, down from 25.1% in November. December’s figure was the lowest since 2022. The latest inflation rate has raised hopes of the first interest rate cut since 2022. The Central Bank of Egypt has held its interest rates since March 2024. The Egyptian government also agreed to cost-cutting measures, including the gradual removal of fuel subsidies and divestment from state-owned enterprises. The government recently sold 30% of its stake in state-owned United Bank. The IMF signed an $8 billion loan deal with the government in 2024, with the country on track for the disbursement of a $1.2 billion tranche of the loan.

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    1 min
  • US Returns $50m In Alleged Stolen Funds To Nigeria

    US Returns $50m In Alleged Stolen Funds To Nigeria
    Jan 13 2025
    Nigeria’s justice ministry says close to $53m in alleged illicit funds recovered from Nigeria's former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke will be used to fund public services. The money is being sent back to Nigeria from the US, whose authorities allege that Alison-Madueke enriched herself, and others, while leading Nigeria's state oil firm by awarding contracts in exchange for bribes. The US alleged that the money was then used to buy a 65-metre superyacht called the Galactica Star plus multiple luxury properties in California and New York. Alison-Madueke, 64, has always denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

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    1 min
  • Nigeria Secured $7.6bn Investments At Africa Forum

    Nigeria Secured $7.6bn Investments At Africa Forum
    Jan 13 2025
    The President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, says Nigeria has secured $7.6bn in investment interests at the Africa Investment Forum 2024, which took place in Rabat, Morocco, from December 4 to 6, 2024. He expressed optimism about the potential impact of the investment interests, highlighting the presence of several Nigerian state governors at the forum The forum facilitated $29.2bn in total investment interests for various African projects, ranging from energy and infrastructure to agriculture and technology.

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    1 min
  • Nigerian Government Approves Four Airlines For 2025 Hajj Operations

    Nigerian Government Approves Four Airlines For 2025 Hajj Operations
    Jan 13 2025
    The Federal Government has approved four airlines as official air carriers for pilgrims of the 2025 Hajj. The Executive Chairman, of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Abdullahi Usman says the four airlines were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrimage. He says the four approved airlines are Air Peace Ltd., Fly-Nas, a Saudi Arabia-designated airline, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Ltd. He stated that the airlines were screened and shortlisted by a team of 32 members that the NAHCON inaugurated on Nov. 26, 2024. Usman explained that the composition of the Aviation Screening Committee included representatives from State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, three members from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and one member each from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

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    1 min
  • Syria’s Foreign Minister Urges US To Lift Sanctions During Visit To Qatar

    Syria’s Foreign Minister Urges US To Lift Sanctions During Visit To Qatar
    Jan 6 2025
    Syria’s new Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani has called on the United States to lift crippling sanctions on his country, as he visited Qatar as part of a regional trip to seek support after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. He says these sanctions constitute a barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery and development of the Syrian people who await services and partnerships from other countries. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry says that the Gulf country’s premier also met with Syria’s Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and the new head of intelligence Anas Khattab, as well as al-Shaibani.

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    1 min
  • Ethiopia And Somalia Vow To Strengthen Ties

    Ethiopia And Somalia Vow To Strengthen Ties
    Jan 6 2025
    Somalia's foreign minister says the diplomatic dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia that had led to tense regional relations has been resolved. Ahmed Moalim Fiqi's says Somalia had made no concessions. Ethiopia has not commented on the Somali claim, but said the two countries had agreed to "strengthen bilateral relations". Ethiopia has thousands of troops stationed in Somalia which are not part of the AU force and it has not been clear what role they will play in the future. Somalia's foreign ministry also said the country had expressed its willingness to consider Ethiopia's request to contribute forces to the mission.

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    1 min
  • Ghana Opens Up Visa-free Travel To All Africans

    Ghana Opens Up Visa-free Travel To All Africans
    Jan 6 2025
    Outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo says All African passport holders are now able to visit Ghana without needing a visa. He announced the plan last month but in his final state-of-the-nation address he said that the policy had come into effect at the beginning of the year. Visa-free travel within the continent has long been an aspiration for those promoting pan-African values and is seen as vital for economic cooperation. Ghana is now the fifth African country to offer this to travellers from the rest of the continent after Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia and Benin. He says this is the logical next step to the African Continental Free Trade Area and the workings of the largest trading bloc in the world

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    1 min