UN Advisor Says China Can Help Africa Escape Poverty

A top U.N. advisor has said China's development aid and expertise can help African nations escape from poverty. But some participants at a U.N.-sponsored seminar in Beijing say problems remain on both sides of the relationship. Voice of America / Google News

World Bank Lending to Africa Up By 23 Percent

World Bank lending commitments to Africa rose by 23 per cent in the past financial year, with Mexico and Brazil emerging the largest borrowers followed by Turkey, Pakistan, China, India and Argentina. The East African / http://allafrica.com

SADC calls for inter-African trade

A 14-member southern African summit opened on Thursday in Lesotho with calls to speed up regional integration in the wake of the recently failed World Trade Organisation talks. iAfrica.com

East Africa: Kenya Best Place to Do Business in Region

Kenya has the most conducive environment for doing business in East Africa, according to Doing Business 2006, a new report released by the International Finance Corporation. The East African / http://allafrica.com

Kenya: Kibaki Regime's Economic Performance Rated Below Par

Most Kenyans are unhappy with the economic performance of the Kibaki regime, says a study released yesterday.  The Nation / http://allafrica.com

East Africa: Kenya, Uganda to Link Up Their Cargo Tracking Systems in Sept

Revenue authorities in Kenya and Uganda will from next month integrate their information systems, enabling them to streamline the monitoring of transit cargo and share other customs related intelligence. The East African / http://allafrica.com

Zimbabwe: Deadline for Currency Changeover Causes Turmoil

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)'s currency changeover deadline has created turmoil on the market amid fears that many institutions will not meet it. Zimbabwe Independent / http://allafrica.com

South African economy ‘resilient’

A resilient South African economy was likely to shrug off the effects of recent interest rate hikes, a depreciating currency and global emerging market jitters, says the University of Stellenbosch's Bureau for Economic Research. Business in Africa / Google News

Fitch: SA's growth must be higher

Fitch Ratings on Tuesday affirmed South Africa's foreign currency Issuer Default rating at 'BBB+', but warned SA's growth rate needs to be higher to alleviate poverty. iAfrica.com

South Africa: Business Feels Pressure As Growth Slows

Businesses are already feeling the pinch of the higher interest rates, fuel-price increases and rising inflation that are likely to dampen trading in the coming months. Sunday Times / http://allafrica.com

Ghana: Millennium Challenge to Generate Over Two Million Jobs

The President, John Agyekum Kufuor, has stated that the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Project would generate over two million jobs to create wealth and reduce poverty in the country. Ghanaian Chronicle / http://allafrica.com

Ethiopia: Diaspora Investing in Growth

The Ethiopian investment agency has said that Ethiopian born investors residing abroad had engaged in projects worth more than 11bn birr (about $1.3bn) over the last 14 years. Business in Africa / http://allafrica.com

India's $1bn Ivory Coast plan

India unveils plans to invest $1bn into Ivory Coast for the development of oil and mining, over the next five years. BBC

Shell reopens Nigeria crude flow

Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell said on Friday that it was resuming 173 000 barrels per day of crude output after repairing a pipeline leak in southern Nigeria. iAfrica.com

Congo-Brazzaville: Oil Production Up 8.5 Percent

Republic of Congo's oil production has passed 100 million barrels this year, an 8.5 percent increase over last year's 93 million barrels, the country's president said. Business in Africa / http://allafrica.com

Kenya: Shock As Cable Firm's Share Price Becomes Most Highly Valued Ever

History was in the making at the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) on Monday as the share price of an electric cable company defied all odds to become the most highly valued stock ever in the history of the bourse. The East African Standard / http://allafrica.com

Ghana: iBurst Ghana Invests $3 Million Into Mobile Broadband

The Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry in Ghana has been described as one of the fastest growing on the African continent as significant milestones have been achieved. Ghanaian Chronicle / http://allafrica.com

Virgin Money takes SA by storm

Flamboyant UK entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Money has taken the South African credit card market by storm — with more than 50 000 cards approved in the first six weeks of its entry into the country. iAfrica.com

Earnings up at Standard Bank

Standard Bank Group increased headline earnings per share by 17 percent from 327.4 cents to 384 cents for the six months ended June, and posted a return on equity of 26.6 percent. iAfrica.com

South Africa: JSE Profit At R92m Amid Brighter Liquidity Outlook

The JSE released a resounding first set of financial results yesterday, showing that its profit nearly doubled to R92m in the six months to June. Business Day / http://allafrica.com