Emirates announced that it will resume passenger services to Conakry, Guinea and Dakar, Senegal from 3 September, taking the total number of cities served by Emirates in Africa to eight. Flights from Dubai to Conakry and Dakar will be linked services, operating twice weekly, utilising an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The addition of linked services between Conakry and Dakar will boost Emirates’ growing network to 77 cities, providing travellers enhanced global connectivity, particularly to and from destinations in the Middle East, West Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Far East, with one convenient stop in Dubai.
Emirates adds Conakry and Dakar to its growing African networks
Chinese Government donates the third batch of medical materials to Ethiopia
With a view to helping Ethiopia contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, following the first and second batches of donation in March and April, the Chinese government donated the third batch of medical materials to Ethiopia, including 500,000 surgical masks, 65,000 protective face masks for medical use, 10,000 pieces of medical protective clothing and thousands of surgical gloves, goggles and shoe covers.
Since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Ethiopia around mid-March, the Chinese government, both at central and local level, as well as Chinese business community have been continuously providing both technical and material assistance, in an effort to boost Ethiopia’s capacity to handle the outbreak. It is especially worth mentioning that in April, a Chinese medical expert task force spent 15 days in Ethiopia, visiting quarantine and treatment facilities, sharing first-hand experience with their Ethiopian counterparts, and offering recommendations on Ethiopia’s response to the pandemic. Their devotion and professionalism won wide acclaim from Ethiopian government officials and general public alike. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Ethiopia (CCCE) also contributed their part to Ethiopia’s fight against the pandemic. With the resources contributed by its members, CCCE is preparing to donate a batch of medical supplies to the country, including highly needed ambulances, ventilators, ICU beds and PPEs.
African businesses shifting towards new technologies in response to COVID-19 pandemic
The Economic Commission for Africa, jointly with International Economics Consulting Ltd, released the report of the second comprehensive survey on the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact across Africa.
The results of the survey shows that the top three challenges faced by companies are: a) reduced opportunities to meet new customers; b) drop in demand, and; c) lack of cash flow. Companies have faced serious disruptions in both supply and market due to COVID-19, with unfair pricing seen as a major concern. Feedback from companies about government assistance is mixed with nearly two-thirds of the respondents indicating from moderate to no satisfaction. As a consequence, 50% of the respondents approached financial institutions from which 25% got positive responses; among the latter, 42% were not satisfied with the service due to high interest rates, delays and/or collateral requirements.
US says airstrike kills 6 al-Shabab in Somalia after ambush
The United States military says it killed six al-Shabab extremists with an airstrike in Somalia after the al-Qaida-linked group attacked Somali forces while U.S. forces were nearby. The U.S. Africa Command statement said the airstrike was carried out near Darasalam village in southern Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region after al-Shabab fighters attacked from a building in the area. The statement said three al-Shabab fighters were wounded. No U.S. forces were killed or wounded, the statement said, dismissing an al-Shabab claim of U.S. casualties. Somalia’s government in a separate statement said the U.S. forces were there to advise and assist local ones.
