This week: Senegal's fiscal hole gets deeper - and Mozambique offers precious little comfort. Zimbabwe shuts the door on raw exports, much to China's horror. Kissing seems to be a crime in Uganda. And Pope Leo books his ticket to the continent. 

References/further reading:

https://www.semafor.com/article/02/25/2026/senegal-imf-fail-to-strike-lending-deal-as-debt-mounts

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/senegal-expected-make-march-eurobond-payments-time-sources-say-2026-02-17/

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/world-bank-aims-give-mozambique-6-billion-financing-over-next-five-years-2026-02-23/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/25/zimbabwe-imposes-ban-on-exports-of-all-raw-minerals-and-lithium-concentrate

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy6nd3664no

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/feb/26/women-arrested-uganda-kissing-public-lgbtq-laws

https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/pope-leo-to-visit-monaco-africa-and-spain-vatican-confirms/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2x1n95z5vo

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