Blink-en you’ll miss him

Hello readers 👋🏿

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken embarked on a whirlwind week-long tour of Africa's western seaboard this week, beginning in Cabo Verde on 22 January. Blinken’s fourth African trip will also take in Côte d’Ivoire – which was also on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s itinerary last week – Nigeria, and Angola. Blinken's last visit to the continent was to Niger, four months before the August coup that overthrew key US ally Mohamed Bazoum. The Secretary of State will be focused on strengthening alliances with US-friendly democracies such as Nigeria amid security challenges in the Sahel region. He will also have to address concerns that America is neglecting the continent in favour of conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Blinken’s trip concludes on Friday in Angola, where the Lobito Corridor linking Congolese copper mines to the Atlantic Ocean is likely to occupy centre stage. Yet, looming large over this diplomatic exercise is the spectre of President Joe Biden's unfulfilled promise to visit the continent last year. With US elections due in November 2024, it's fair to assume that another year will pass before the continent welcomes a visitor from the White House.

Yours in geopolitical journeys,

AP editorial team

 📈 48 BILLION

FDI to the continent remained fairly static in 2023, dropping by 1% from 2022 to USD 48 billion. UNCTAD, which compiled the statistics, highlighted a drop in project finance deals on the continent as potentially jeopardising infrastructure development. 

🔍 ALGERIA'S INDEPENDENCE XI

With the passion and the pomp of AFCON on full display, Associate Consultant Lami Mabifa reflects on the history of the Algerian national team, which is profoundly rooted in the country’s liberation struggle. Le Onze de l'Indépendance, masterminded by local revolutionaries, sent a shockwave through France and strengthened the case for Algerian nationhood.

🎙️ VOICES OF AFRICA – JOHNNY VELLOZA

“We're the first mover in building refinery capacity, and our intention is to fill the gap in refining battery-grade material on the continent” – Johnny Velloza, CEO of Kobaloni Energy. 

In the latest episode of Voices of Africa, Marcus Courage speaks with Johnny Velloza about the progress Kobaloni is making in building Africa’s first refinery of battery grade cobalt sulphate – a key input for battery manufacturing – and Zambia’s plans to build a battery park on the copperbelt.

🇰🇲 LIFETIME TENURE

The situation in Comoros remains tense following a violent crackdown on protestors demonstrating against the fourth-term re-election of President Azali Assoumani. The electoral commission announced Assoumani as the winner of the polls on 16 January, with 62.97% of the vote. However, opponents have alleged electoral fraud, while eyebrows have been raised by a reportedly low voter turnout of 16%. A curfew was implemented on 18 January, with at least one person dead and six injured by security forces. Assoumani first came to power in a coup in 1999, and has since worked to cement his power, suppressing dissent and changing the constitution in 2018 to allow him to sidestep term limits. The heat on Assoumani looks set to remain domestic in the short-term, as he currently serves as chair of the African Union, doing little to assuage criticism over the continent bloc’s record on democratic governance. 

🇱🇷 FALLON D’FLOOR

Liberia's new President Joseph Boakai suffered “heat exhaustion” during his inauguration ceremony on 22 January, requiring assistance to complete his maiden speech to the nation. The oldest head of state in the country’s history, at 79-years-old, Bokai began to falter around 30 minutes into his speech amidst temperatures up to 30°C, leading to the ceremony's adjournment. The presidential spokesperson released a statement declaring the president to be “perfectly fine”, stating that he had already resumed his normal activities, including a bilateral meeting with the Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. Boakai replaced the country’s youngest president, former footballer and Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, after narrowly defeating the incumbent in a run-off election in November.

🇰🇪 IMPRUDENT PROCUREMENT

Despite initially doubling down on a government-to-government fuel deal, Kenya’s government has now admitted that the controversial arrangement has failed to reap benefits. Signed in April 2023, the deal was touted as a solution to stem the depreciation of the shilling by easing demand for US dollars. Since then, the local currency has depreciated by over 20%, while the agreement has failed to meet minimum import volumes and inflamed tensions with Kenya’s neighbours. While fixated on the missteps of his predecessor, President William Ruto’s hasty approach has elicited new issues, highlighting the need for a tempered strategy respectful of local conventions, and focused on fostering local growth rather than courting potential support far-afield.

🇨🇲 MITIGATING MALARIA

Cameroon launched the world's first routine vaccine programme against malaria on 22 January, becoming the first of 20 African countries looking to roll-out immunisation programmes. Utilising the World Health Organization-approved RTS,S vaccine developed by British drugmaker GSK, the programme is meant to complement existing tools such as bed nets. While there is international excitement surrounding the vaccine's introduction in Cameroon, public health officials have emphasised that community engagement and communication efforts are essential in addressing domestic concerns and promoting acceptance of the vaccine. With deliveries of the vaccine expected in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone soon, it is hoped that 6.6 million children could be reached across the continent by the end of the year.

🏛️ ARCHITECTURE AWARD

Ghanaian-Scottish architect Lesley Lokko has been named as the 2024 recipient of the Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects, becoming the first woman of African descent to do so. Awarded in recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence on the advancement of architecture. Professor Lokko has enjoyed a remarkable career as an educator, author, academic and curator. She founded the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg in 2015, the first postgraduate architecture school on the continent, and the African Futures Institute in Accra, Ghana, in 2020, a pan-African think-tank dedicated to exploring the intricate relationships between architecture, identity, and race. Her most recent milestone moment occurred as curator of the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale, where she shifted the artistic spotlight onto talent from Africa and the diaspora. 

⚽ AFCON WATCH: SPANISH INQUISITION

The tournament group stages are wrapping up, with yet more shocks. Equatorial Guinea, the only hispanophone country in Africa, finished on top of Group A as they left tournament hosts Côte d’Ivoire on the brink of being knocked out with a resounding 4-0 win. Group B concluded with Ghana missing the chance of automatic qualification as a result of drawing 2-2 with Mozambique, and failing to capitalise on Egypt’s draw with Cabo Verde. Some Ghanaian fans demanded to ask the players a few choice questions as they refused to let the team bus leave the stadium after the game. The Black Stars have now only won one game across three AFCON tournaments. Finally on the list of upsets, 2019 champions Algeria finished bottom of Group D after a historic loss to Mauritania.

🗓️ TANZANIA ENERGY COOPERATION SUMMIT

Africa Practice’s Managing Director for East Africa, Richard Kiplagat, will be speaking about the synergies between green hydrogen strategies in Oman and East Africa at the fifth edition of the Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit in Arusha from 31 January-1 February. The convening gathers key stakeholders, including government officials, public utilities, IPPs, and project financiers to discuss successful examples of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) across power generation and transmission, as well as the role of development banks in boosting finance to the continent, and the essential factors required for Tanzania to realise its full potential in renewable energy.

🔑 ATLAS OF UNCERTAINTY

The Atlas of Uncertainty invites visual artists to explore gateway neighbourhoods in Accra, Nairobi, and Johannesburg. Spanning diverse artistic mediums – from photography and drawing to painting, sculpture, printmaking, digital art, mixed media, textile art, and ceramics – the Atlas aims to cultivate diverse artistic responses that transcend traditional exhibition boundaries and normalise the multifaceted, informal, and transitory dimensions of these cities. Deadline is 9 February 2023. 

📚WOMB CITY – TLOTLO TSAMAASE

A genre-bending African futurist horror novel, Womb City is set in a cruel futuristic surveillance state, where bodies are a government-issued resource. This cyberpunk ghost story offers harrowing commentary on power, monstrosity, and bodily autonomy, exploring the notions of motherhood and memory. Released this week, Womb City is Motswana writer Tlotlo Tsamaase’s debut, following a series of award-winning short fiction. 

🎹 BADMAN FROM KAMWOKYA – BOBI WINE

Before he emerged as a critical political voice challenging the Ugandan government under President Yoweri Museveni, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, better known as Bobi Wine, carved a niche in Uganda's music scene through his confident lyrical prowess, often showcased on infectious dancehall beats popular in Ugandan music. In his 2010 hit, "Bad Man from Kamwokya", featuring fellow rapper Navio, Wine pays homage to his upbringing. This is a timely listen following the Oscar nomination for "Bobi Wine: The People's President” – a documentary chronicling his political journey.

Copyright © 2023 Africa Practice, All rights reserved.

Enquiries: info@africapractice.com