Brazil’s largest-ever corruption probe, known as the Lava Jato (Car Wash) investigation, exposed a web of graft across Latin America and beyond, rocking the political and economic establishment in more than a dozen countries. What began in 2014 as a money-laundering investigation soon unearthed corruption at the highest levels of Brazil’s government and at companies including state-owned […]
Latin America’s Emerging Infrastructure Crisis
Assessing political risk in infrastructure projects tends to mean parsing the small print of regulatory changes, or shifts in party manifestos in the run-up to elections. But the fire that engulfed the Chilean headquarters of ENEL, the Italian energy company, during civilian riots in 2019 was a vivid reminder of other, less predictable risks faced […]
The sun will power large parts of Africa’s Covid-19 vaccination program
There’s hope that some industrialized countries will achieve near-universal vaccination against Covid-19 in the coming months. Yet the effort to vaccinate even the most essential workers in developing countries has only just begun. By current estimates, achieving herd immunity (to current strains) will require at least 75% of the world’s population to be vaccinated. Some developing countries […]
Peru planning 5G spectrum tender for 1H21
Peru plans to launch a tender for spectrum frequencies for 5G technology during the first half of next year, according to deputy communications minister Virginia Nakagawa (pictured). Speaking at a virtual event on Peru’s agenda for the development of 5G technologies promoted by the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), Nakagawa said that before the […]
DRC Blocks Katanga Gecamines Land Deal
Katanga Mining has been ordered to withhold about $250 million earmarked as payment for a land deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Gécamines as an investigation into the state miner’s executives continue. Katanga’s subsidiary Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) agreed in December to buy land next to its mine from Gécamines and said it would […]
AfDB Approves $2M For WHO Fight Against COVID-19 In Africa
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank on Tuesday approved $2 million in emergency assistance for the World Health Organization (WHO) to reinforce its capacity to help African countries contain the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impacts. The grant, which is in response to an international appeal by the WHO, will be used […]
Construction Of Tanzania’s Mbulu District Hospital On Track
Construction works on Mbulu District Hospital is on track. Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) Mwita Waitara confirmed the report and said the project is making great progress. The project is expected to help Mbulu residents who have been traveling long distances to get medical services. When completed, […]
Kenya Gets $50M World Bank Credit For Coronavirus Fight
Kenya is set for an additional Sh5.2 billion ($50 million) credit from the World Bank Thursday to support the fight against Covid-19 as confirmed cases rose to hit 81. Health Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that the credit facility will increase the government’s pool of funds to finance production of sanitisers, protective gear for medical personnel […]
World Bank Approves Delayed $500M Education Loan To Tanzania
The World Bank has approved a $500 million education loan to Tanzania after years of delays because of concerns about the country’s policy of banning pregnant students from public schools. The World Bank froze $1.7 billion in loans to Tanzania in 2018 following both the pregnant student ban and a law making it illegal to […]
Uganda Orders Two Week National Lockdown
Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in his address to the nation last night announced a nationwide lockdown for the next two weeks as the country battles the covid19 pandemic. Uganda last week banned public transport and sealed its borders and urged the population to stay home, but stopped short of a full shutdown. Museveni said that […]