Topics | West Africa Gateway | Portail de l'Afrique de l'Ouest

01 Apr 2020

More than one-third of West Africans have no handwashing facility at home

Topics:

Culture & Society

Health

Infrastructure

SWAC:

SWAC

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Handwashing is one of the top preventive measures recommended to reduce the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). However, current levels of handwashing with soap are generally low across the region. More than one-third of West Africans have no handwashing facility at home. Washing hands is also a basic preventive measure, which can help eradicate many other communicable diseases such as cholera, which is still prevalent in the region. Read on

09 Feb 2020

Africa’s urban realities

Topics:

Cross-border co-operation

Urban-rural development

Body:

The SWAC Secretariat and AUDA-NEPAD launched the new SWAC/OECD flagship report, “Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2020: Africapolis, Mapping a New Urban Geography,” on the sidelines of the 33rd African Union Summit on 9 February 2020 in Addis Ababa. The event is part of a broader effort to develop a network of stakeholders active in Africa’s urbanisation agenda. Read on

09 Feb 2020

Thinking differently about Africa’s urbanisation

Topics:

Cross-border co-operation

Urban-rural development

Opinion:

Opinion

SWAC:

SWAC

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In this viewpoint, published by Le Point Afrique, Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, CEO of AUDA NEPAD and SWAC Honorary President, calls for a paradigm change to support Africa’s urban transition. Mayaki insists on the importance of correcting some of deep-rooted misconceptions about Africa’s vast areas. “Africa is already urban,” he reminds readers. The design of appropriate and efficient policy interventions depends on understanding more about these urban realities. Read on

09 Feb 2020

Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2020

Topics:

Cross-border co-operation

Demographic trends

Infrastructure

Migration & Mobility

Urban-rural development

SWAC:

SWAC

Body:

Produced by the Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD), “Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2020: Africapolis, Mapping a New Urban Geography,” reveals the profound urban transformations occurring in Africa. Its goal is to help policy makers develop more inclusive and targeted policy options that are in line with African realities. The report is based on Africapolis.org, a geo‑spatial database covering 7 600 urban agglomerations in 50 countries. Read on

29 Dec 2019

Africa’s integration: Investing in our common future

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Body:

African and OECD policy makers gathered on 29 November 2019 in Madrid to join Europe’s largest annual conversation on Africa’s ongoing transformation. The 17th International Economic Forum on Africa, jointly organised by the African Union, the Government of Spain, the OECD Development Centre and partners, focused on the theme, “Africa’s integration: Investing in our common future.” With the African population set to hit 2 billion by 2030, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) raises new hopes of an integrated market to support the continent’s industrialisation and productive transformation. However, discussions highlighted that African firms remain ill-equipped to withstand the competition of global players. Read on

14 Nov 2019

Doing business in West Africa is getting easier, notably in Togo

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SWAC:

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Togo stands out from the crowd in the latest “Doing Business“ ranking. For the second year in a row, the country is among the ten economies that improved the most. Moving up from rank 156 (2018) to rank 97 (2020), Togo became the best-performing West African country. However, ten West African countries rank in the bottom 50, and only two African countries (Mauritius, rank 13 and Rwanda, rank 38), are among the top 50. Read on

08 Nov 2019

UEMOA, Switzerland deepen co-operation

Country:

Topics:

Climate & Climate change

Cross-border co-operation

Culture & Society

Development co-operation

Members:

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The UEMOA Commission and the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC) signed, on 8 November 2019 in Abidjan, a new co-operation agreement worth nearly EUR 1 million to complete phase 1 of the programme for local cross-border co-operation (PCTL). In addition, UEMOA Commission President Abdallah Boureima signed a new co-operation agreement with the R20 Green Fund for Women to better integrate the climate aspect within projects conducted by local actors. Read on

05 Nov 2019

Africa’s Development Dynamics 2019

Topics:

Development co-operation

Body:

“Despite sustained growth and progress in advancing regional integration, West African countries remain at a competitive disadvantage; high GDP growth rates in West Africa have not translated into real productive transformation”, finds the second edition of the Africa’s Development Dynamics 2019 report, which was jointly launched by the African Union Commission and the OECD Development Centre at the 11th Private Sector Forum in Antananarivo, Madagascar on 5 November 2019. Read on

31 Oct 2019

Agendas 2063 & 2030: Is Africa on track?

Topics:

Culture & Society

Democracy & Peace

Demographic trends

Development co-operation

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The African Governance Report, produced by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, is a rich source of information on the continent’s governance challenges. It analyses the progress that has been made in the implementation of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Both agendas have overlapping goals, and the report analyses, sector by sector, Africa’s readiness for both agendas. Read on

24 Oct 2019

First Russia-Africa summit

Topics:

Development co-operation

Body:

In a move to expand its footprint across Africa, Russia held the first Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum on 23-24 October 2019 in Sochi under the theme “For Peace, Security and Development.” All 54 African states took part in the event, including 47 heads of state. Moving beyond business as usual dominated by arms and grain sales, the final declaration outlines a set of goals for Russian-African co-operation, including a new mechanism for dialogue. Read on

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Infrastructure

More than one-third of West Africans have no handwashing facility at home

Africa’s urban realities

Thinking differently about Africa’s urbanisation

Africa’s Urbanisation Dynamics 2020

Africa’s integration: Investing in our common future

Doing business in West Africa is getting easier, notably in Togo

UEMOA, Switzerland deepen co-operation

Africa’s Development Dynamics 2019

Agendas 2063 & 2030: Is Africa on track?

First Russia-Africa summit

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