There is Profit to Be Made in Poor Countries

President Yoweri Museveni opened this year's Commonwealth Business Forum by making the argument that it is in business self interest to be involved in uplifting the lives of the world's poor. New Vision / http://allafrica.com

Chinese, Arabs spur investment in Africa - IMF

Foreign investment in sub-Saharan Africa should top $20 billion this year as Chinese and Arab investors pour in money, but a US slowdown could jeopardise the strongest economic growth in decades, the IMF said on Thursday. africa.reuters.com

US to finance new African investment funds

The United States will provide up to $250 million to jump-start three new African investment funds intended to boost development of its capital markets so African businesses can more easily raise money, U.S. officials were set to announce on Monday. africa.reuters.com

Rich states to boost "aid for trade" by half - Lamy

Rich countries will increase their "aid for trade" to developing nations by half to around $30 billion by 2010, World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Pascal Lamy said on Wednesday. africa.reuters.com

Commonwealth Chief Calls for Lower Trade Barriers

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon has said there is an urgent need for developed countries to lower trade barriers, particularly for agricultural products, so that poorer countries get a fair deal on the world market. Commonwealth News and Information Service / http://allafrica.com

Africa needs more cash to fight climate change

Africa must win more donor funding to help adapt to climate change and shield millions from the damage it is expected to inflict, a gathering of scientists and environmentalists said on Tuesday. africa.reuters.com

Bribery doesn't pay, top Africa businessman says

Corruption in Africa is declining as potential bribers realise it is bad for business, one of the continent's richest businessmen said on Monday. africa.reuters.com

EU and southern African states agree trade deal

The European Commission and four southern African countries agreed a new trade deal on Friday, opening the way for what Brussels hopes will be a series of agreements with scores of former European colonies. africa.reuters.com

East Africa may open up to the EU

The five countries of the East African Community may speed up the opening of their markets to the European Union. bbc.co.uk

West Africa: EU Trade Negotiations Heading for a Stalemate

West Africa is sticking by its demand for an extended World Trade Organisation waiver for trade with Europe, rejecting an EU call for new interim commercial deals by December 31. Public Agenda / http://allafrica.com

EU trade deal could hit African states' budgets - IMF

New trade pacts proposed by the European Union could put pressure on poor African nations' budgets by cutting customs revenues, a concern which needs to be addressed in negotiations, the IMF's director for Africa said. africa.reuters.com

Ugandan Economy: Remarkable resilience in face of shocks

The World Bank has long held up Uganda as a model economic reformer among its African borrowers. But cracks are beginning to show in what was a celebrated marriage. ft.com

Ivory Coast seeks to rejoin US-Africa trade scheme

Ivory Coast aims to rejoin a preferential trade scheme with the United States in early 2008 as it moves towards holding elections, boosting trade and ending child labour, the head of its export promotion agency said. africa.reuters.com

‘Good African’ banks on the feel-good factor

Good African Coffee, available in Waitrose supermarkets across the UK, has not taken off as quickly as founder Andrew Rugasira would like. But, among coffee farmers in Uganda’s remote Rwenzori Mountains, it is an easy sell. The mountains’ farmers have spent generations at the grubby first stage of the coffee production chain, lacking education, market knowledge, and electricity in their small farms at the base of the clouds. ft.com

Ugandan Banking: Sea change in attitude towards rural customers

Ten years ago, Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, then the top official in Uganda’s finance ministry, recalls trying to persuade executives from Barclays Bank not to pull out of the country. ft.com

Merck Company Foundation Expands Network of Immunization Training Centers in Africa

The Merck Company Foundation announced today a $2.8 million commitment to establish two new immunization training centers in Uganda and Zambia and to expand the Foundation's support of two existing centers in Kenya and Mali as part of the Merck Vaccine Network - Africa. csrwire.com / http://business-humanrights.org

Kenya: Safaricom, Google in Internet Partnership

Safaricom Kenya and Google have sealed a pact to deliver e-mail services direct to mobile phones. The partnership is expected to increase the number of internet users from the current 2.7 million to 4.4 million by virtue of Safaricom's subscriber base. Highway Africa News Agency / http://allafrica.com

Emirates Telecom may invest up to $5 bln in Africa

Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat), the second-largest Arab telecom company by market value, is considering new investments of up to $5 billion in Africa, it said on Monday. africa.reuters.com

Celtel expands free roaming network to 12 African nations

Africa's third largest mobile operator Celtel is due to double the number of countries where it has abolished roaming charges to 12, a company official told Reuters on Wednesday. africa.reuters.com

Uganda: MTN Donates $352,941 for Community Development

As part of MTN's corporate social responsibility (CSR), MTN Uganda has launched a charitable organization that would implement the company's public involvement initiatives. Highway Africa News Agency / http://allafrica.com