World Bank's Zoellick turns to African agriculture

World Bank President Robert Zoellick told African leaders on Friday he wanted to step up spending on agriculture, including technology and roads, to spare the continent sharply increased food import prices. africa.reuters.com

Gaddafi warns Africa over unity

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi warns he will turn his back on Africa if continental unity is again rejected. bbc.co.uk

Nets and New Drug Make Inroads Against Malaria

Widespread distribution of mosquito nets and a new medicine sharply reduced malaria deaths in several African countries, World Health Organization researchers reported. nytimes.com

Flexibility, funds needed for fragile states - World Bank

World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Tuesday the international community should find ways to free up money for fragile states and countries emerging from conflict. africa.reuters.com

Bush hopes to boost foreign food aid purchases

President George W. Bush urged Congress in his annual State of the Union speech on Monday to help provide more food aid to poor nations by buying more crops overseas. africa.reuters.com

Kenyan rivals agree moves to stop conflict

The two sides in the Kenyan crisis have agreed on a set of measures for stopping violence and on a framework for further talks, the first significant breakthrough since they began a dialogue last week. ft.com

Fears grow for Kenyan economy

Kenya’s economy was in danger of shrinking this year, a leading business group said yesterday, as the US’s top Africa envoy called escalating violence in the country “ethnic cleansing”. ft.com

Power Failures Outrage South Africa

Electricity shortages, now expected to be a fact of life for the next five years, are threatening economic growth. nytimes.com

Nigeria backs int'l force to protect offshore oil

Nigeria wants to see faster action towards creating an international naval force to protect the offshore oil industry in the Gulf of Guinea, President Umaru Yar'Adua has said. africa.reuters.com

Rwanda opens stock exchange

Rwanda launches a stock exchange as the country still struggles to rebuild its economy after the 1994 genocide. bbc.co.uk

Maize harvests 'to fall by 30%'

Climate change could lead to a 30% drop in maize output in southern Africa by 2030, scientists say. bbc.co.uk

Tunisia says EU direct investment set to double

European Union direct investment in Tunisia is set to double in the next three years after the removal this month of customs duties on manufactured goods, the government said on Monday. africa.reuters.com

China to receive copper, cobalt in Congo loan deal

Chinese companies will receive mining rights to millions of tonnes of Congolese copper and cobalt under a multibillion dollar loan agreement, Congo's mines minister said on Monday after signing a deal. africa.reuters.com

Sierra Leone: UK Boosts Energy Sector

Coinciding with the visit of the President of Sierra Leone to the UK, Douglas Alexander, the Secretary of State for International Development today announced two programmes of assistance to Sierra Leone totalling £36 million. The programmes will provide support to the energy sector and the National Revenue Authority. DFID / http://allafrica.com

Zambia: Country's Agro Sector Under Threat - Levy

President Levy Mwanawasa has said the Zambian agricultural sector is under threat from the current floods this year and has appealed to India for assistance to help his Government address the various effects of the disasters. The Times of Zambia / http://allafrica.com

Zimbabwe inflation hits 26,470 pct, economy shrinks

Zimbabwe's inflation soared to a record high of 26,470.8 percent as the economy contracted by 6 percent, the central bank said -- dealing a blow to President Robert Mugabe's government ahead of March general elections. africa.reuters.com

Anglo signs deal with China Development Bank

Mining group Anglo American Plc has expanded its relationship with China, sealing a strategic alliance with the China Development Bank to develop a range of mining projects, Anglo said on Monday. africa.reuters.com

Ford to invest $210 mln to expand S.African operations

Ford Motor Co will invest 1.5 billion rand to expand its South African operations for the production of the company's next-generation pickup truck and Puma diesel engine, it said on Wednesday. africa.reuters.com

Cadbury targets Ghana in $87 mln cocoa initiative

Cadbury Schweppes promised on Monday to invest 44 million pounds over the next decade to support high-quality sustainable cocoa output in Ghana and also in India, Indonesia and the Caribbean. africa.reuters.com

East Africa: Google, Microsoft, IBM Target Region's ICT

Top American software manufacturers are prospecting extending their domination in the industry to Uganda by sponsoring software development competitions and mentorship programmes for lecturers and students at Makerere University. East African Business Week / http://allafrica.com