Newscast - Africa

The United Kingdom and Australia signed a free trade deal projected to eventually boost bilateral trade by more than 10 billion pounds eliminating tariffs, opening up sectors like agriculture and allowing freer movement for service-sector professionals.
The elimination of tariffs on Australian wine, and a tariff-free quota for beef will help exporters hit by sanctions in China to pivot to sales in the UK. British cars, whiskey, confectionery and cosmetics will see tariffs phased out in Australia.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Trade Minister Dan Tehan in a joint statement said it is the most comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement that Australia has concluded, other than with New Zealand.

The European Parliament warns against deep polarisation in Slovenia, amid warnings on press freedom and judicial independence in the EU member state.
Lawmakers say they were deeply concerned about the level of public debate, the climate of hostility, distrust and deep polarisation in Slovenia, which has eroded trust in public bodies and between them.
It said that prominent public figures and politicians, including members of the government, have to lead by example and need to ensure a respectful and civilised public debate, free from intimidation, attacks, slurs and harassment.
The resolution called on the government to ensure the funding going forward and to cease all political interference and pressure on the country’s public broadcaster.

The parliamentary speaker in Tunisia, Rached Ghannouchi, says that he categorically rejects President Kais Saied's decision to suspend parliament for another year.
Mr Ghannouchi says that the exceptional measures announced by the president must be cancelled immediately.
Mr Saied says that parliament would remain suspended until fresh elections in a year's time.
He added that before the election, a referendum on the constitution would be held in July.

Malawi’s health minister says the country will make Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for key staff, including health workers and journalists, from January as the government tries to boost its vaccination campaign amid a spike in cases.
Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda says uptake of vaccines has not been high enough towards reaching our goal of vaccinating at least 60% of eligible Malawians by the end of next year.
Official statistics show that about 641,000 people are fully vaccinated in Malawi. This amounts to just over 3% of the population.

Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani says the latest Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been declared over after 42 days without any new infections,
The World Health Organization's regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, says that targeted vaccination and rapid response has made Ebola control more effective.
Only five days after the detection of the first case in Beni region, a vaccination campaign was launched and more than 1,800 were jabbed.
The WHO says It was also the first time the Everbo Ebola vaccine was used in the country.

The World Bank announced its approval of a $700 million credit from its International Development Association for the Nigeria Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project.
The institution says the productivity of major crops in Nigeria had been steadily declining over the past two decades, in part due to climate change, forcing an expansion of the area under agriculture and increased imports to meet the food needs of Nigeria’s growing population.
It noted that persistent water shortages continue to exacerbate land degradation, desertification, and habitat loss.
World Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri noted that Nigeria was faced with water scarcity and droughts which occur every five years, on average, with the potential to increase in frequency due to climate change.

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Federal Ministry of Finance to release withheld salaries of resident doctors for the month of September and October 2021.
The Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, explained that the wages have been approved by the President to be released to the health workers on compassionate grounds.
He further explained that payments were made following a nine-month industrial action embarked upon by the body. He insisted that the persisting altercation is the lack of knowledge by members of the payments and a renegotiation of the 2009 agreement involving conditions of service.

AFCON officials announced that Supporters attending matches at next month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon will be required to show proof of vaccination and present a negative Covid-19 test result.
A joint statement signed by Cameroon’s ministers for sport and health as well as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) general secretary says despite the additional challenges posed by the pandemic, the Cup of Nations must take place.
The opening ceremony for the 24-team competition is due to be held at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on January 9 ahead of the first game between hosts Cameroon and Burkina Faso

The federal government will next month make public the real owners of oil, gas and mining assets in the country through a National Beneficial Ownership register.
The data to be jointly launched by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the Corporate Affairs Commission is expected to further push the country’s preparedness to shine the light on the opacity in the extractive industry.
A statement by the Deputy Director/Head Communications and Advocacy of the initiative, Obiageli Onuorah, noted that when ready, the register would be merged with the CAC register of companies in the country.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says that democracy remains the best system of establishing governments because it guarantees respect for the fundamental rights of individuals to choose their leaders.
The VP noted that democracy as a system of government guarantees the accountability of the elected to the electorate. As the electorate determines in every electoral cycle by their free choice whether the mandate given was properly utilized.”
Prof. Osinbajo says that man has not yet developed a fairer and more just system of establishing governments than that the government be a government of the people by the people for the people.