Netflix cracks 260 million subscribersIn its Q4 2023 report, Netflix revealed that it gained 13.12 million new subscribers, reaching 260 million subscribers. The increase was driven by 5.05 million subscribers from the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. The streaming platform equally saw a 12% rise in revenue in Q4 2023, 6% higher than 2022 and 2% more than expected. Netflix said its 13.12 million paid net additions were its “biggest Q4 ever”, while it had 7.66 million additions in Q4 2022. Therefore, NIMC plans to enrol 148 million Nigerians by June 2024 as part of the Digital Identity for Development (DID4D) project supervised by the World Bank.

Two Business Forums are held this Monday in Barcelona and Tuesday in Bilbao to discuss ways of strengthening the investment dynamic between Morocco and Spain. The economic meetings attest to the shared desire to further strengthen, encourage, and catalyze existing investment opportunities for the business communities of both countries. They also reflect the strength of diplomatic relations and the renewed economic partnership between Morocco and Spain. The program also includes several working meetings with Spanish business leaders in key sectors, including the automotive industry, aeronautics, railways, renewable energies, household appliances, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. The Moroccan delegation will visit Bilbao on Tuesday for talks with members of the Basque Business Confederation (CONFEBASK) on various topics relating to Basque investment in Morocco.

Italy is creating a $5.95 billion (5.5 billion euro) fund to boost its energy ties with Africa and support healthcare and education there in a bid to stem migrant flows from North Africa to Italian shores, Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday. Energy is one of the five priorities for Italy in Africa, alongside education, healthcare, agriculture, and water resources, Meloni said. Of the initial $6 billion funding for the ‘Mattei plan’, around $3.24 billion (3 billion euros) will come from the Italian climate fund and about $2.7 billion (2.5 billion euros) from resources for development cooperation, the Italian prime minister added. Eni has been particularly active in securing more natural gas supply for Europe from Africa and has fast-tracked projects in Africa to meet Europe’s gas demand in the absence of Russian pipeline deliveries. Early last year, Eni’s chief executive Claudio Descalzi told the Financial Times in an interview that Europe should look to Africa for a “south-north” energy axis that would deliver gas from Africa to the EU.

Azerbaijan’s military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh in September cemented Baku’s control over the breakaway region, three decades after it gained autonomy under Armenia’s protection amid the breakup of the Soviet Union. That in turn has created an opportunity for the European Union to forge stronger ties with Armenia and reshape the geopolitical orientation of the South Caucasus. Armenia has diverged from many other post-Soviet countries—such as the Baltic states, Ukraine and Georgia—by maintaining deep ties with Russia rather than seeking to integrate with the EU. As a formal Russian ally under the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, Yerevan has long counted on Moscow to guarantee its security. Their robust defense ties include discounted purchases of Russian arms as well as a Russian military base in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city.

Meloni opened a summit of African leaders on Monday aimed at illustrating Italy's big development plan for the continent that her government hopes will stem migration flows and forge a new relationship between Europe and Africa. Meloni opened a summit of African leaders on Monday aimed at illustrating Italy's big development plan for the continent that her government hopes will stem migration flows and forge a new relationship between Europe and Africa. Meloni opened a summit of African leaders on Monday aimed at illustrating Italy's big development plan for the continent that her government hopes will stem migration flows and forge a new relationship between Europe and Africa. Meloni opened a summit of African leaders on Monday aimed at illustrating Italy's big development plan for the continent that her government hopes will stem migration flows and forge a new relationship between Europe and Africa. Alongside the Mattei Plan, Meloni's government has forged controversial deals with individual countries to try to mitigate the migration burden on Italy.

Among other initiatives, Meloni's plan seeks to swap energy investments for African efforts to curb migration. The so-called Mattei Plan hopes to position Italy as a key bridge between Africa and Europe, funneling energy north in exchange for investment in deals aimed at curbing migrant departures across the Mediterranean Sea. Meloni said the summit had been a success that had produced many areas of potential cooperation, particularly with regards to energy. In a news conference after the summit, Meloni acknowledged that it was important to ensure that work begin on projects that will make a difference on the ground. Von der Leyen described the plan as "complementary" to the European Union's own Africa package, unveiled in 2022 and worth €150 billion.

Meloni outlined Italy’s cooperative vision with Africa, rooted in the “Mattei Plan,” which she described as an effective and tangible platform for collaboration based on equality. He underlined that Italy as one of the largest investors in Africa, with an investment volume of €24 billion in 2018. President of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat noted that Africa faces unique challenges in living standards, security, and climate. He commended the “Mattei Plan” as an effective model reflecting Europe’s concrete commitment to assisting Africa. The Italy-Africa Summit marks a pivotal moment in the Italian government’s ongoing efforts, initiated since it took office.

Israel's ‘Hamas Completely Dismantled’ Lie Exposed | IDF To Bolster North Gaza Deployment, RaidsIsrael is reportedly planning to bolster troop activity in North Gaza in the coming weeks. The decision comes as Hamas is attempting to re-establish its military presence in the region. The move comes after rocket fire emanated from the area on Sunday, Army Radio reports. IDF brigade-level raids are likely on areas where Hamas is attempting to retake Northern redoubts. Watch for more.

Electric vehicles (EVs) produced by the world’s largest manufacturer in the sector have been introduced in Rwanda. This applies not only to individual and corporate customers but also to stakeholders including urban public transport networks and government agencies.”Have you read? Tax-driven incentives to bolster East Africa’s e-mobility growthThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has supported Rwanda’s shift to electric vehicles. Rwanda government pushing for expansion of EVsUNEP notes that Rwanda has, in recent years, introduced tax breaks for EV buyers. BYD surges past TeslaIn terms of China’s BYD, it surpassed Tesla last year as the world’s biggest EV manufacturer.

With 65% of global uncultivated arable land, the African Development Bank believes that the continent can feed itself and the rest of the world. CGIAR centres are located across African countries and focus on enhancing food and nutrition security, reducing poverty, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. They also discussed capacity building for country-based national agricultural research services partners, young scientists and extension workers, and private-sector seed growers to produce certified seeds. Following the success of TAAT phases I and II, the African Development Bank President announced that the Bank plans to roll out phase III. The African Development Bank, together with the AfricaRice centre, recently launched the $650 million Regional West Africa Rice Development (REWARD) programme in 15 West African countries.

Speaking at a one-day summit attended by more than two dozen African leaders and European Union officials, Meloni outlined a series of initiatives, pledging an initial 5.5 billion euros ($5.95 billion), including state guarantees. “We believe it is possible to envision and write a new chapter in the history of our relationship, a cooperation among equals, far from any predatory imposition or charitable stance towards Africa,” Meloni said in an opening speech.

Talat Xhaferi reacts on the day the North Macedonian parliament voted him as the first Albanian prime minister since the country became independent.—ReutersSKOPJE: North Macedonia’s parliament elected Talat Xhaferi as caretaker prime minister on Sunday, making the 61-year-old the first ethnic Albanian to lead the Balkan country’s government. Around a quarter of North Macedonia’s 1.8 million inhabitants are ethnic Albanians. But ever since the country’s 1991 declaration of independence from former Yugoslavia, tensions persisted between the majority population and ethnic Albanian minority. The tensions even erupted into a six-month armed conflict between ethnic Albanian rebels and government forces in 2001, which only ended through the intervention of the international community. Representatives of the ethnic Albanian community have been elected or appointed on high state positions before but have never led the government.

The governor of Cameroon’s North-West region from 2007 to 2012, Abakar Ahamat is a disillusioned retiree. He devotes his time to writing, using his free time to express his views on the crisis in the English-speaking North-West and South-West. There's more to this story Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Subscribe Now cancel anytime Already a a subscriber Sign In

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), dealing a hard blow to France and the Algerian regime which is serving the agenda of the former French colonial power in the region. The three countries had already been suspended from ECOWAS after military coups took place in Niger in July 2023, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Mali in 2020. According to some experts, their withdrawal from the regional bloc buries once for all the Algeria-Nigeria gas pipeline project, while the Moroccan-Nigerian project is gaining momentum driven by the African Atlantic cooperation project spearheaded by King Mohammed VI. Within the frame of South-South solidarity-based cooperation, the Moroccan Sovereign has launched lately an international initiative to enable Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger) to have access to the Atlantic Ocean, a project that will transform the economies of these landlocked countries and the entire region. These combined projects show Morocco’s leadership in driving geostrategic changes in Africa for shared prosperity, co-development, regional peace and stability.

SharePaymob, a prominent financial services provider in the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan (MENA-P), has recently joined forces with Mastercard. This comprehensive, omnichannel partnership will utilize the strengths of Paymob’s payment infrastructure alongside Mastercard’s advanced payment technology. In the MENA region, MSMEs are crucial for economic expansion and play a significant role in contributing to the GDP. Together, we are fast-tracking the implementation of affordable digital payment options, which will boost the uptake of digital transactions in the region. In addition to Egypt, Paymob’s services extend to merchants in KSA, UAE, Oman, and Pakistan, thanks to its partnership with Mastercard.