Africa

September 12, 2024 6:05 PM

Rich nations have millions of mpox shots as Africa’s outbreak spreads; Will they share?

Rich countries have several hundred million doses of vaccines that could help fight an mpox outbreak in Africa, where donated shots fall far short of what is needed, according to a Reuters tally of public statements, documents and estimates from non-governmental organizations. The shots have been stockpiled for years by countries such as Japan, the United States and Canada in case smallpox, an eradicated disease that is the more dangerous cousin of mpox, ever makes a comeback. Some of the vacci...

September 2, 2024 3:04 PM

Africa faces steep costs as temperatures soar, says WMO

Africa faces an increasingly heavy toll from climate change with many countries having to spend up to 9% of their budgets battling climate extremes, a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report said on Monday. Despite producing far lower greenhouse gas emissions than other continents, Africa's temperatures have risen more rapidly than the global average. African countries are now losing on average 2%–5% of gross domestic product responding to deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, cyclon...

September 16, 2024 4:03 PM

Sweden reports first case of contagious mpox strain outside Africa

Sweden confirmed on Thursday the first case of mpox Clade I, a viral infection that spreads through close contact and is a more dangerous variant of the mpox disease, Al Jazeera reported. The Swedish government announced this on Thursday, marking the first case of the variant outside of Africa. "We have now also during the afternoon had confirmation that we have one case in Sweden of the more grave type of mpox, the one called Clade I," Health and Social Affairs Minister, Jakob Forssmed told a ...

September 16, 2024 6:13 PM

EAM S Jaishankar says, India is supportive of Africa’s greater role at UN

Stating that India and Africa must engage and work together "very closely," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that New Delhi looks forward to a mutually beneficial and mutually respectful relationship in the true spirit of being a 'Vishwa Bandhu.' He further stressed that India is supportive of a greater role for Africa in the United Nations and other multilateral forums and invited the African countries to join the International Big Cat Alliance. The EAM was addressing the Africa Day...