NAIROBI, Kenya — A solar-powered ambulance developed by Dutch university students has completed an 800-kilometre field test across Kenya, demonstrating how renewable energy could help bring healthcare to remote communities without reliable electricity or fuel. Named Stella Juva, the vehicle was developed by Solar Team Eindhoven, a team of 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU Eindhoven) and two other Dutch educational institutions. The students worked on the

The African Union Commission and China are exploring deeper continental cooperation in infrastructure, energy and digital transformation as both sides seek to align Chinese investment and expertise more closely with Africa’s development priorities. The discussions were held between African Union Infrastructure and Energy Directorate Director Dr Kamugisha Kazaura and a Chinese delegation led by Peng Huagang, President of the China Enterprise Reform and Development Society (CER

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Burkina Faso has intensified its campaign to promote patriotism and national unity, with President Ibrahim Traoré’s government graduating tens of thousands of young people from compulsory civic training while recently instituted a military-style training for Burkinabe journalists. About 65,000 young Burkinabè have reportedly completed a month-long patriotism programme designed to instil discipline, civic responsibility, national unity and knowledg

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa has launched a new Regional Health Data Hub aimed at improving health planning and decision-making across the continent. The digital platform, launched on August 27, 2026, brings together health information from different systems and transforms it into integrated, actionable data for governments and health stakeholders across the WHO African Region. The initiative is expected to help countr

ADDIS ABABA — Health ministers from 47 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region are gathered in Addis Ababa for the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, where they are expected to deliberate on key health policies and priorities for the continent. The three-day meeting, which opened today, brings together health ministers, senior government officials, development partners and technical experts to assess progress in improving health sy

Africa is stepping up efforts to secure greater control over its critical mineral resources, with the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) set to convene a high-level roundtable in New York next month as part of a broader push to promote mineral processing, investment and value addition on the continent. This was revealed from a press statement from AMSG on Sunday. The Third AMSG High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in Africa is scheduled for September 21,

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have agreed to strengthen their cooperation as they seek to advance joint initiatives and support the development of Africa’s space sector. The two agencies recently held a high-level meeting co-chaired by SANSA Chief Executive Officer Humbulani Mudau and NASRDA Director-General and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Matthew Adepoju. The agenda focused on moving t

LUANDA, Angola — Angola has opened a US$155 million specialised burn hospital in Luanda named after Tanzanian founding President and Pan-Africanist icon Julius Nyerere, strengthening the country’s capacity to treat severe burns and complex injuries. The President Julius Kambarage Nyerere Burn Hospital, inaugurated on August 1 by Angolan President João Lourenço and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has 252 beds, including about 66 intensive-care beds and nine dedicated

African startups are heading towards a potentially record year for fundraising after investment in the continent's technology companies surged during the first half of 2026, signalling renewed investor confidence in Africa's rapidly developing innovation ecosystem. According to research firm Briter, African-focused startups raised US$3.3 billion in the first six months of the year, representing a 73% increase from the same period last year and the strongest first-half perform