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Dr Phenyo Butale, Botswana’s Minister of International Relations, has highlighted the critical need to increase trade between African nations during a memorial lecture at North-West University. Speaking at an event honouring the late South African Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Aziz Pahad, Dr Butale expressed concern over Africa’s continued reliance on external markets despite its abundant resources.

Using the example of beef trade, he pointed out how African nations like Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo import from Brazil while overlooking high-quality beef available in Botswana and South Africa’s North West province. This pattern of preferring trade with Europe and the United States over regional partnerships potentially hampers Africa’s economic growth.

The minister emphasized the importance of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, though noting that various challenges, including logistical and regulatory issues, currently impede progress. Dr Butale’s message stressed that Africa’s economic future depends not on the possibility of intra-continental trade, but on the collective will to make it happen.

Read the original article here: https://newbusinessethiopia.com/trade/botswana-urges-african-nations-to-bolster-regional-trade/

Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, boasts a rich cultural heritage, with powerful kingdoms such as the Ashanti playing a significant role in its history. The nation’s path to independence was marked by the pivotal efforts of the “Big Six” leaders, who galvanised the movement through the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC). A crucial turning point came in 1949 when Kwame Nkrumah founded the Convention People’s Party (CPP), which secured a decisive victory in the 1951 legislative elections. This laid the groundwork for Ghana’s full independence in 1957.

The 68th Independence Day celebration, set to take place at the Jubilee House in Accra, promises to be a momentous occasion. This year’s festivities will be themed “Reflect, Review, and Reset,” featuring a military guard of honour, cultural performances by elementary school students, poetry recitals, and a presidential address. The event will be attended by a diverse array of dignitaries, including political leaders, chiefs, and religious figures. Ghana’s Independence Day remains a powerful symbol of national achievement and unity, inspiring successive generations with its enduring message of self-determination and progress.

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) and the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) have recently taken a significant step towards advancing financial technology innovation and integration in Africa. The two countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a licence passporting framework and enhance cross-border payment interoperability for regulated fintech companies.

The MoU was signed during the Inclusive Fintech Forum in Rwanda, a three-day event that brought together key stakeholders in the financial technology sector. The signing ceremony was attended by the Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, Mr John Rwangombwa, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Asiama, and other key officials from both central banks.

The newly established licence passporting framework aims to ease cross-border operations for regulated fintechs licensed in either Ghana or Rwanda. With this initiative, fintech companies from both countries can expand their services with minimal additional regulatory hurdles, thereby accelerating innovation and supporting the growth of the financial technology sector across borders.

Read the original article here: https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghana-and-rwanda-sign-mou-to-enhance-cross-border-fintech-agreement/