The deferment makes Zambia the first African country to default on its debt since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the default, Fitch Ratings downgraded Zambia’s credit rating to “C” from “CC.”P Payce Madden Senior Research Analyst - Africa Growth InitiativeZambia is not the only African country to face COVID-induced difficulties with debt. Currently, women hold 22 percent of seats in the Kenya’s lower house of parliament and 31 percent in the upper house. In a letter to Kenyatta, Maraga wrote that parliament had “blatantly failed, refused, and/or neglected” to implement the gender rule. Political updates in Somalia and EthiopiaOn Wednesday, September 23, Somalia’s parliament unanimously confirmed Mohamed Hussein Roble as the country’s new prime minister.

Source: Ethiopian News September 26, 2020 11:37 UTC