<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4-1110x776.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-383042" width="696" height="486" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4-1110x776.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4-300x210.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4-820x573.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4-768x537.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4-696x486.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4-1068x746.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1920_emiratesboeing777-300er1-478063-4.jpg 1474w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /><figcaption>Emirates Boeing 777. Credit: Emirates.com</figcaption></figure>



Emirates announced it will resume flights to three African countries in October.



Emirates will fly to Johannesburg (1 October), Cape Town (1 October), Durban (4 October) in South Africa; Harare in Zimbabwe (1 October); and Mauritius (3 October). The addition of the five cities will expand the Emirates’ network to 92 destinations, as the airline gradually resumes its operations. 



Passengers flying in and out of Emirates’ three South African gateways can connect to Dubai and onward connections to Europe, the Far East, Middle East, West Asia, and Australasia. 



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Last week, <a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/09/19/fg-bars-emirates-airlines-from-scheduled-operation-to-nigeria/">This Day Nigeria</a> reported that Emirates would be banned from flying to Nigeria, however, at the time of writing, flights to Lagos and Abuja are available for booking on Emirates.com 



Emirates will operate to Harare with two weekly flights linked to its Lusaka service. 



Flights from Dubai to Mauritius will initially operate once a week on Saturdays, supporting the Mauritian government’s repatriation efforts to bring its citizens home, and enabling the recovery of the country’s tourism industry by safely connecting leisure travellers from Europe, the Far East and the Middle East to the popular Indian Ocean island destination.&nbsp;

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Emirates to resume flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Harare, and Mauritius in October

After closing its borders six months ago, South Africa is scheduled to reopen to international travelers on Oct. 1. 



Kruger National Park and the country’s winery-laden Western Cape&nbsp;— which includes the capital city of Cape Town and its most famous natural wonder, Table Mountain&nbsp;— will likely dominate travelers’ itineraries. But there are other parts of the country that offer secluded, socially-distanced experiences for those who are willing to venture beyond the usual tourist routes.&nbsp;



One such place is KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa’s eastern-most province. There travelers who want to be immersed in nature and who have a yen for conservation can stay at a private game reserve that allows guests to participate in efforts to protect local rhino and elephant populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Combating poachers</h2>



It’s estimated that three rhinos are poached every day in South Africa. In the whole of Africa, an elephant is poached approximately every 15 minutes. With only 18,000 white rhinos and 400,000 elephants left in Africa, in 20 years’ time at current rates, both animals will be completely gone.&nbsp;



Private game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, such as &amp;Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve and<a href="https://nambiti.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Nambiti Private Game Reserve</a>,&nbsp;are trying to change that. Each has accommodations that range from comfortable to luxurious, and cuisine that varies from good to outstanding.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106715151-1600928662243-Nambiti_Hills_Luxury_Suite_2.jpg?v=1601015206&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="A luxury suite at Nambiti Hills, a game lodge at Nambiti Private Game Reserve."/><figcaption>A luxury suite at Nambiti Hills, a game lodge at Nambiti Private Game Reserve.Courtesy of Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience</figcaption></figure>







Apart from the Big Five — lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and Cape buffalo — Nambiti is home to giraffes, zebras, blue wildebeests and many varieties of antelope. Night drives reveal nocturnal animals such as porcupines, aardvarks, hyenas and civet cats.



For Manager Mike Potter, security against poachers is his biggest budget item — more expensive than roads, fences or looking after the animals.



“It’s financially crippling,” he said, “but we have to do it.”



Poachers are mainly locals who work with syndicates from Mozambique. A total of five rhinos have been poached from Nambiti, three of them in February 2013.



“The poachers came in by helicopter,” said Potter. “We could see where they had landed.”



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106715177-1600929849549-Nambiti_Hills_Zebras.jpg?v=1601015136&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="Nambiti's lodges are situated in a malaria-free part of KwaZulu-Natal."/><figcaption>Nambiti’s lodges are situated in a malaria-free part of KwaZulu-Natal.Courtesy of Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience</figcaption></figure>







Security was dramatically increased, and since then no rhinos have been lost. Lodge guests pay a daily rhino levy of 50 South African rand ($3), which helps the cause. &nbsp;



Nambiti is part of the World Wildlife Fund’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wwf.org.za/our_work/initiatives/black_rhino_expansion.cfm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Black Rhino Range Expansion Project</a>, which aims to boost the rare black rhino population in South Africa. The WWF funds Nambiti’s team of four rhino monitors, who track the animals’ movements via motorbike. An annual grant of about $5,000 covers the cost of their bikes, boots, binoculars and other equipment.



“We download all the animal positions weekly,” Potter explained. “If we haven’t seen one of them for a week or two, we focus on finding it.”



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106715149-1600928276400-Nambiti_Hills_Game_Ranger_Joe_in_vehicle.jpg?v=1601015228&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="Nambiti's 23,000 acres of land are monitored to protect the animals within the game reserve."/><figcaption>Nambiti’s 23,000 acres of land are monitored to protect the animals within the game reserve.Courtesy of Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience</figcaption></figure>







The job isn’t easy either. “These men are vulnerable to being chased by angry black rhinos or attacked by lions,” said Potter.&nbsp;



Though it’s sad to see a dehorned rhino, Potter agrees that “dehorning” them — removing their horns so they won’t be targeted by poachers — is the best way to protect the animals. But at approximately $2,400 for each rhino dehorning expedition, it’s hugely expensive.



That is where conservation-minded travelers can get involved. It’s possible to participate in rhino dehorning by paying a fee to join a team, usually arranged through a tour company.



That contribution covers the helicopter, pilot, wildlife vet and drugs involved. At the end of the day, travelers return to their luxury lodges with the satisfaction of having helped to protect a rhino’s life.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">An academy on Shaka-Zulu’s hunting grounds&nbsp;</h2>



Thula Thula (pronounced “tula tula”) is a Zulu name that means “peace and tranquility.” It’s also the name of a game reserve located on the historic hunting grounds of King Shaka, founder of the Zulu empire. The reserve is famous for its conservation work, its herd of 29 elephants and its charismatic ex-Parisian owner, Françoise Malby-Anthony.



She and her late husband, Lawrence Anthony, founded the&nbsp;<a href="https://thulathula.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thula Thula Private Game Reserve</a>&nbsp;in 1999 with a troubled herd of just seven elephants. When he died in 2012, she took over the management of the reserve, expanding it and establishing a rehabilitation center for orphaned animals.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106715047-1600927462269-Thula_Thula_Anti_poaching_unti_during_the_transfer_and_arrival_of_rhinos_Mona_and_Lisa.jpg?v=1600937089&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="Françoise Malby-Anthony with Thula Thula's anti-poaching unit."/><figcaption>Françoise Malby-Anthony with Thula Thula’s anti-poaching unit.Courtesy of Thula Thula Private Game Reserve</figcaption></figure>







To fix problems affecting wildlife, said Malby-Anthony, we must address human problems. Not only has powdered rhino horn been used in Chinese Traditional Medicine for thousands of years, but it is used today to display wealth and status.



“Seventy percent of Chinese people do not know that the rhinos and elephants are killed for their horns,” she said.



It’s vital that local people be involved in conservation, she said, so all of Thula Thula’s staff comes from nearby communities.



Visitors come from around the world, but mainly from the United States, Europe and, of course, South Africa. Accommodations are in two lodges — one of which is a luxury tented camp — and income from those finance the reserve’s conservation efforts.



Twice-daily game drives — usually in the morning and evening — are the highlight of any lodge stay.



“These safaris are guided by our experienced game rangers, who share their knowledge and their passion, raising awareness of environmental issues and the necessity to protect endangered species,” said Malby-Anthony.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106715035-1600926929081-Thula_Thula_Franoise_and_rhino_Thabo_with_vet_team_for_dehorning.JPG?v=1600927453&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="Thula Thula's Françoise Malby-Anthony and her vet team with Thabo, a rhino at the reserve."/><figcaption>Thula Thula’s Françoise Malby-Anthony and her vet team with Thabo, a rhino at the reserve.Courtesy of Thula Thula Private Game Reserve</figcaption></figure>



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<a href="http://www.volunteer.academy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thula Thula Volunteers Academy</a>&nbsp;is a different form of eco-tourism. The academy holds regular two-week stays for eight volunteers at a time. Volunteers work as conservation assistants, the idea being that they will not only contribute to the work on the ground, but also go home and spread the message.



“I used to think that a rhino without a horn was not a rhino,” said Malby-Anthony. “But I changed my mind in February 2013 when five heavily armed men killed two of our rhinos — both were only 18 months old and still with such small horns.”



“Since then, we have deployed intensive anti-poaching and security measures to keep our wildlife safe,” she said. “This is our priority.”



Thula Thula’s dog unit patrols 24 hours a day, and a plane comes weekly to check the fences. When she had surveillance cameras installed, the elephants removed them because they didn’t like foreign objects in the trees. The solution was to apply a hot chili paste all around the camera.



“That did the trick — elephants don’t like chili at all,” said Malby-Anthony.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106715049-1600927605163-Thula_Thula_Shaka_the_Elephant_and_Thabo_the_Rhino.JPG?v=1601000704&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="Thabo, without a horn, rubs heads with an elephant named Shaka at Thula Thula Private Game Reserve."/><figcaption>Thabo, without a horn, rubs heads with an elephant named Shaka at Thula Thula Private Game Reserve.Courtesy of Thula Thula Private Game Reserve</figcaption></figure>







The all-inclusive daily rate depends upon your country of origin: $120 for those from North America, South America and Asia, $153 for Brits, $140 for Europeans and $70 for South Africans. This fee goes to Thula Thula’s conservation projects, including the expansion of its elephant habitat and anti-poaching measures.



Two books that explore the challenges of animal conservation include “The Elephant Whisperer” by Malby-Anthony’s late husband Lawrence, and its sequel “An Elephant in My Kitchen,” penned by Malby-Anthony herself.



“It’s a wake-up call to the tragic situation of our wildlife in Africa,” she said. “In 20 years’ time, when there are no more elephants, rhinos, lions and cheetahs, we cannot say we did not know.”&nbsp;

COVID-19: Liven up your lockdown routine with SA’s ‘virtual safaris’

Safaris are back, and luxury lodges are enlisting guests to help save animals

Washington, DC:&nbsp;&nbsp;A staff team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Allison Holland, held discussions with the Somali authorities during a virtual mission from September 12—22, 2020 on the first review of Somalia’s economic reform program being supported by an Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement.&nbsp;



At the conclusion of the mission, Ms. Holland issued the following statement:&nbsp;



“During the first half of 2020, Somalia has been hit by multiple shocks—flooding, desert locusts, and the global coronavirus pandemic. These have aggravated the humanitarian challenges, and negatively impacted the economy and the government’s ability to mobilize domestic revenues.



“The authorities have taken a number of measures to mitigate the impact of these shocks on the Somali people and the economy. These efforts have been underpinned by critical support from the international community and include temporary tax relief on some basic food commodities; the introduction of a cash transfer system for the most vulnerable, Baxnaano; and the launch of a credit facility, Gargaara, for micro-, small-and-medium-sized enterprises.&nbsp;



“Despite the crisis, the authorities have sustained their strong commitment to economic reforms and have made satisfactory progress in implementing key policies under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program, supporting a staff-level agreement on the completion of the first review. All structural benchmarks and indicative targets for June were met, and all but one of the quantitative performance criteria (QPC). Cumulative domestic revenues through June for the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) reached US$ 99 million against program target of US$ 109 million. The authorities will request a waiver from the IMF Executive Board for the missed QPC based on the measures planned to ensure domestic revenues recover in 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Staff commended the authorities on their continued progress on fiscal reforms, including in the areas of tax and customs administration, and ongoing efforts to enhance intergovernmental fiscal relations and transparency. The mission emphasized the importance of a formulating a 2021 budget consistent with the ECF-program objectives and urged continued control on operating expenditures to create fiscal space for spending on priorities identified in the authorities’ Ninth National Development Plan (NDP9). The mission and the authorities agreed a new structural benchmark that will underpin further improvements in general government fiscal transparency and accountability.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The mission welcomed the newly appointed senior management of the Central Bank of Somalia and the progress being made on reorganizing the institution. It also commended the authorities on further progress on AML/CFT issues, including the ongoing work on the National Risk Assessment and efforts to build capacity at the Financial Reporting Center. The mission urged the authorities to expedite the licensing of the mobile money operators (MMOs) to advance the implementation of the mobile money regulatory regime. A new structural benchmark was agreed that will ensure greater transparency in the licensing of MMOs and the issuance of the underlying telecommunications licenses.



“Staff congratulated the authorities on the approval by the Council of Ministers of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and its endorsement of the UN, African Union, and Arab League conventions against corruption. It urged swift Parliamentary ratification of these conventions to signal the country’s commitment to improving governance and fight against corruption.&nbsp;



“The mission appreciated the active efforts the authorities are making to reach agreement with their external creditors on debt relief consistent with the HIPC framework and outlined in the HIPC Decision Point document for Somalia.



“During the visit, the team met with Finance Minister Abdirahman Dualeh Beileh; Minister of Constitutional Affairs Salah Ahmed Jama; Minister of Justice Hassan Hussein Haji;  Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed; Minister of Post, Telecommunications and Technology Abdi Ashur Hassan; Central Bank Governor Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi; Acting Director of the National Communications Authority Abdullahi Abdiaziz Mohamed; and other senior officials. The IMF team would like to thank the Somali authorities for their cooperation and the open and productive discussions.”



Source: IMF press statement.

Moves to help Somalia – IMF statement.

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The Global Center on Adaptation works with both the public and private sector as a broker to speed up action and support adaptation solutions in a bid to build a more climate-resilient future for the world. Patrick Verkooijen the CEO and Chair of the Executive Board of the Global Center on Adaptation joins CNBC Africa’s Christy Cole and Kayode Akindele, Partner at TIA Capital to discuss their plans for Africa as they launch their regional office in Africa.

GAP CEO on Africa’s journey to a climate resilient future

GCA CEO on Africa’s journey to a climate resilient future

By Peter Burdin, former BBC Africa Bureau Chief.



The Green Economy has long been seen as a key player in Africa’s transformation.



This week the Tenth Annual Summit of the&nbsp;<a>African Green Revolution Forum &#8211; hosted in Kigali by Rwanda&nbsp;</a>-is discussing how best to move African agriculture forward.



The farming industry hosts 60% of the continent’s workforce and creates more than 40% of its GDP. Hundreds of thousands of livelihoods depend on it.



This virtual Forum has often been described as the world’s premier forum on African agriculture and this year is meeting at a time of global crisis in which the Covid-19 pandemic threatens jobs, yields and food security.



The virus has seen food processing plants slowing production or closing down completely, while the demand for exports such as flowers and fruits have&nbsp; been hit hard bringing economic hardship to many farmers.



The pandemic disguises the reality that agriculture in Africa has much to be proud of. In South Africa, for instance, maize production this year is expected to be more than 30% higher than in previous years –and digitalisation is transforming the sector.



The impact of the African Green Revolution Forum can be seen from last year’s event when some 2,400 delegates from 89 countries took part, and $3 billion worth of deals were concluded in the wings of the Forum.



Last year Isaac Sesi from Ghana shared a $100,000 prize with Tswana Bonolo Monthe of Botswana. Isaac employed affordable technologies to help reduce post harvest losses while Tswana developed a technique to turn underused, indigenous fruits into gourmet low sugar preserves.



The Rwandan organisers hope these successes will be repeated this year – and they say the key is digitalisation as farmers&nbsp; embrace data to boost production and sales and increase yields and profits.



Pilot studies across the continent have seen yields rise between 50% and 300% through better use of information, better seed selection, irrigation and mechanisation.



The Digital revolution provides the sector with enormous opportunities.&nbsp; There are innovations to help overcome challenges in land and soil mapping, water management, pest and disease management, particularly important as climate change starts to impact on Africa with locust invasions, floods and drought becoming more commonplace.



Today, a farmer in a remote area of the country can use his or her phone to see satellite images of their farm, and select the best seeds, the best type of fertilizer, the best soil health package for their crops, and the best markets to sell their produce.



Other innovations are less widespread but could catch on soon, like the use of drones and artificial intelligence to help with pest and disease monitoring.



It is fitting that just down the road from the Forum is the home of the Agriculture Growth Network (AGN), (<a href="http://www.agnetwork.rw/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.agnetwork.rw</a>&nbsp;) a social enterprise that helps some 800 small and medium scale farmers increase their productivity while creating jobs for the youth.



AGN was founded by Daniella Uwase and her fellow students from Kigali’s African Leadership University. The students train the local farmers in the latest techniques through e-learning platforms and provide microloans while connecting them to better markets for their products.



African Green Resources (<a href="http://www.afrigreenresources.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.afrigreenresources.com</a>&nbsp;) is another leading agribusiness company that trains farmers in good agriculture practices to achieve higher yields and build a sustainable agriculture economy.



African Green Resources also provides farmers with microfinance, particularly important during the pandemic when production and sales have been hit.&nbsp;



It’s chaired by Zuneid Yousuf who also works with the Economics Association of Zambia.&nbsp; Together they support a community entrepreneur development programme&nbsp; which places great confidence in the ability of continent’s farming revolution to achieve food security, create jobs and build economic growth.



One of the long-term aim of groups like the African Green Resources, AGN and the delegates at the African Green Revolution Forum is to help millions of young Africans find meaningful employment in agriculture.&nbsp; And all are convinced that embracing digitalisation will speed up that ambition.



The World Bank has pledged to invest US $50 billion in Transforming Africa’s Digital Economy, and it’s clear that if the delegates at the Forum have their way Africa’s farmers will be at the forefront of this investment.

Peter Burdin

COMMENT: Green revolutionaries to boost African growth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) &#8211; U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have prepared orders to block imports of cotton and tomato products from China’s western region of Xinjiang over accusations of forced labor, though a formal announcement has been delayed.



A Trump administration announcement, initially expected on Tuesday, has been put off until later this week because of “scheduling issues,” an agency spokesman said.



The cotton and tomato bans, and those on five other imports, over alleged Xinjiang forced-labor abuses, would be an unprecedented move by the agency, likely to stoke tension between the world’s two largest economies.



The “Withhold Release Orders” let the agency detain shipments based on suspicion of forced-labor involvement under long-standing U.S. laws to combat human trafficking, child labor and other human rights abuses.



President Donald Trump’s administration is ratcheting up pressure on China over its treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, where the United Nations cites credible reports as saying 1 million Muslims held in camps have been put to work.



China denies mistreatment of the Uighurs and says the camps are vocational training centers needed to fight extremism.



In Beijing on Wednesday, a foreign ministry spokesman dismissed the orders as a pretext to target Chinese firms.



“I think the U.S. cares nothing about human rights,” Zhao Lijian said in response to a query.



“It is only using this as a pretext to oppress Chinese companies, destabilize Xinjiang and slander China’s Xinjiang policy,” he told a daily news briefing.



China will take all necessary measures to safeguard its companies’ legitimate rights and interests, he added.



CBP official Brenda Smith told Reuters the effective import bans would cover the entire supply chains for cotton, from yarn to textiles and apparel, as well as tomatoes, tomato paste and other regional exports.



“We have reasonable, but not conclusive, evidence that there is a risk of forced labor in supply chains related to cotton textiles and tomatoes coming out of Xinjiang,” Smith, an executive assistant commissioner, said in an interview.



“We will continue to work our investigations to fill in those gaps.”



U.S. law requires the agency to detain shipments in cases of forced labor accusations, such as those from non-government bodies, she said.



The bans could have far-reaching effects for U.S. retailers and apparel producers, as well as food manufacturers. China produces about a fifth of the world’s cotton, most of it from Xinjiang. It is also the world’s largest importer of the fibre, including from the United States.



The China Cotton Association, a trade body, declined to comment on Wednesday.



A Beijing-based cotton trader said the impact may be limited as China imports about 2 million tonnes a year each of cotton and cotton yarn, which may be enough to make textiles for the United States without Xinjiang cotton. Xinjiang’s output is about 5 million tonnes.



“If Xinjiang cotton goes to the domestic industry and non-Western markets, the impact may be limited, it can probably still be digested,” he said.



In the short term, it could also boost cotton imports by China, he added.



Cotton futures CCFcv1 on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange fell 4.5% to 12,365 yuan ($1,804.90) per tonne on Wednesday, though the fall was largely driven by broader macroeconomic factors, said Zhang Lei, an analyst at Zhongyuan Futures.



Graphic &#8211; Top cotton producers, consumers, importers, exports &amp; stockholders:&nbsp;<a href="https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/yzdpxxeqopx/TopCottonStats.png">here</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/yzdpxxeqopx/TopCottonStats.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/yzdpxxeqopx/TopCottonStats.png" alt="Reuters Graphic"/></a></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">‘ABUSIVE WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS’</h3>



Legislation proposed by U.S. lawmakers in March would effectively assume that all goods produced in Xinjiang were made with forced labor and require certification they were not.



In a July advisory, Washington warned of “reputational, economic, and legal risks” to companies doing business in Xinjiang, or with entities using Xinjiang labor.



The State Department also said it sent a letter to top American firms, such as Walmart Inc (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/WMT.N">WMT.N</a>), Apple Inc (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/AAPL.O">AAPL.O</a>) and Amazon.com Inc (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/AMZN.O">AMZN.O</a>), warning them over risks from supply chains linked with human rights abuses in Xinjiang.



In a draft announcement seen by Reuters, the CBP said it identified forced-labor indicators involving the cotton, textile and tomato supply chains, “including debt bondage, unfree movement, isolation, intimidation and threats, withholding of wages, and abusive working and living conditions.”



The orders would block cotton from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and apparel from Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing Co Ltd and Baoding LYSZD Trade and Business Co Ltd., which the agency says use prison labor from Chinese government administered “re-education” internment camps.



They would also block imports of items from the Lop County Industrial Park and the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center, following the July 1 detention of products from Lop County Meixin Hair Product Co..



The CBP orders would also block imports of computer parts from Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co Ltd, based in Anhui province.

gettyimages-642093036-594×594-2

U.S. readies bans on cotton, tomato imports from China’s Xinjiang

LAGOS/LONDON (Reuters) &#8211; Four months ago, Abolaji Odunjo made a fundamental change to his business selling mobile phones in a bustling street market in Lagos: He started paying his suppliers in bitcoin.



Odunjo sources handsets and accessories from China and the United Arab Emirates. His Chinese suppliers asked to be paid in the cryptocurrency, he said, for speed and convenience.



The shift has boosted his profits, as he no longer has to buy dollars using the Nigerian naira or shell out fees to money-transfer firms. It is also one example of how, in Africa, bitcoin &#8211; the original and biggest cryptocurrency &#8211; is finding the practical use that it has largely failed to elsewhere.



“Bitcoin helped to protect my business against the currency devaluation, and enabled me to grow at the same time,” Odunjo told Reuters from his two-by-eight metre shop.



“You don’t have to pay charges, you don’t have to buy dollars,” the 30-year-old said, raising his voice above the sound of loud haggling and the honking horns of scooters.



Odunjo is one of many people at the heart of a quiet bitcoin boom in Africa, driven by payments from small businesses as well as remittances sent home from migrant workers, according to data shared exclusively with Reuters and interviews with around 20 bitcoin users and five cryptocurrency exchanges.



Monthly cryptocurrency transfers to and from Africa of under $10,000 &#8211; typically made by individuals and small businesses &#8211; jumped more than 55% in a year to reach $316 million in June, the data from U.S. blockchain research firm Chainalysis shows.



The number of monthly transfers also rose by almost half, surpassing 600,700, according to Chainalysis, which says the research is the most comprehensive effort yet to map out global crypto use. Much of the activity took place in Nigeria, the continent’s biggest economy, along with South Africa and Kenya.



This represents a reversal for bitcoin which, despite its birth as a payments tool over a decade ago, has mainly been used for speculation by financial traders rather than for commerce.



Why a boom in Africa? Young, tech-savvy populations that have adapted quickly to bitcoin; weaker local currencies that make it harder to get dollars, the de facto currency of global trade; and complex bureaucracy that complicates money transfers.



The bitcoin users interviewed by Reuters, based in five countries from Nigeria to Botswana, said the cryptocurrency was helping people make their businesses nimbler and more profitable, and helping those working in places like Europe and North America hang on to more of the earnings they send home.



Yet risks abound.



Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are unregulated in many countries and their legal status is unclear, meaning there is no safety net and little recourse if you lose funds.



For many, converting local currencies to and from bitcoin relies on informal brokers. Prices are volatile, and buying and selling is a complex process that demands technical knowledge.



In 2018, the Nigerian central bank warned cryptocurrencies were not legal tender, and investors were unprotected.

A security man administers sanitiser to a visitor to a state hospital in Lagos, on February 28, 2020. PIUS UTOMI EKPEI | AFP via Getty Images

How bitcoin met the real world in Africa

CHICAGO (Reuters) &#8211; United Airlines (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/UAL.O">UAL.O</a>) said on Wednesday it is preparing to furlough 16,370 workers when federal aid expires on Oct. 1 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the airline industry, though one union said many more people will be without pay.



United’s cuts include 6,920 flight attendants, but the union representing them said 14,000 will not have a paycheck in October unless Congress acts to extend $25 billion in aid.



This is because many have opted for leaves that will provide healthcare but no money, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA International President Sara Nelson said.



“United’s furlough announcement does not tell the full story,” she said.



Airlines have been lobbying Washington for a second stimulus package to protect jobs through March while the industry awaits a recovery. The first $25 billion, which covered airline payrolls, expires this month, but talks have stalled as Congress has struggled to reach agreement on a broader coronavirus assistance package.



Chicago-based United had over 90,000 employees before the pandemic brought the industry to a near standstill in March. It warned in July that 36,000 jobs were at risk of involuntary furloughs as demand remained weak.



U.S. passenger airlines are still collectively losing more than $5 billion a month as 30% of planes remain parked. Passenger travel demand is down about 70% and, on average, planes that are flying are half-full.



Some 7,400 United employees have opted to take early retirement or departure packages and the company is working through several other voluntary temporary leave programs to further reduce the number of furloughs, United officials said, without providing specific numbers.



The leaves would give the company flexibility to call back staff once travel returns, they said.



United’s furloughs will also affect around 2,850 pilots, 2,010 mechanics and 1,400 management and administrative positions, among others, though negotiations continue with pilots to reduce the final number.



Rival American Airlines (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/AAL.O">AAL.O</a>) last week said it would lay off 19,000 workers without federal aid. Including voluntary departures or leaves, its 140,000 pre-pandemic workforce will shrink by 30%.



Delta Air Lines (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/DAL.N">DAL.N</a>) plans to lay off nearly 2,000 pilots, but has not yet numbered potential cuts for its other workers.



President Donald Trump has said his administration would help U.S. airlines but has not given any details.



Congress also approved another $25 billion in loans for airlines under the first stimulus package, but not all of them are tapping the funds.

How Airlines Park Thousands Of Planes

United Airlines to cut 16,370 workers, many more going without pay

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; Administrators for South Africa’s Comair Ltd said on Friday they had received a binding offer from their preferred investors in the airline, and would request to delay the publication of their rescue plan to Sept. 2 as a result.



“[Administrators] have now received a final binding offer from the preferred investors late this afternoon, and the terms of this offer must now be incorporated into the business rescue plan,” they said in a statement.



Comair has been under a form of bankruptcy protection since May and the publication of its rescue plan has so far been delayed by more than two months.

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Administrators for S.Africa’s Comair say binding offer received

WASHINGTON (Reuters) &#8211; A defiant President Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination for a second term on Thursday with a scathing attack on rival Joe Biden, asserting that a Democratic victory in November would only exacerbate the racial strife and coronavirus pandemic besieging the nation.



Speaking from the White House South Lawn despite criticism he was using the executive residence as a political prop, Trump portrayed Biden, a career politician with a long record as a moderate, as a far-left extremist who would usher in a lawless, dangerous America.



“This election will decide whether we protect law-abiding Americans, or whether we give free rein to violent anarchic agitators and criminals who threaten our citizens,” Trump said on the fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention in a speech that lasted more than an hour.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/396x2765.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-380109" width="704" height="491" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/396x2765.jpg 396w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/396x2765-300x209.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">RELATED COVERAGE</h4>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-convention-quotes-factbo/quotes-from-last-day-of-republican-national-convention-themed-land-of-greatness-idUSKBN25N33S">Quotes from last day of Republican National Convention themed &#8216;Land of Greatness&#8217;</a></li><li><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-convention-tariffs/trump-promises-tariffs-on-companies-that-leave-u-s-to-create-jobs-overseas-idUSKBN25O0B4">Trump promises tariffs on companies that leave U.S. to create jobs overseas</a></li></ul>



“No one will be safe in Biden’s America.”



Despite the pandemic that has killed more than 180,000 Americans, Trump delivered his remarks before a crowd of more than 1,000 people, standing in front of dozens of American flags and basking in chants of “Four more years!” and “U.S.A.!”



His language was evocative of his 2016 convention acceptance speech, which also came at a time of racial tension after eight police officers were killed in Texas and Louisiana amid protests following shootings of Black men.



“Americans watching this address tonight have seen the recent images of violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities,” he said then, vowing to end the turmoil.



But Trump, who ran successfully as an insurgent four years ago, is now in control at the White House, complicating his assertion once again that only he can solve the problem.



Republicans on Thursday sought to advance that message after days of civil unrest and violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where on Sunday police shot a Black man, Jacob Blake. They inaccurately asserted that Biden would “defund the police.” Biden has rejected that position.



As the night unfolded, Biden struck back on Twitter, writing, “When Donald Trump says tonight you won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America, look around and ask yourself: How safe do you feel in Donald Trump’s America?”U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech as the 2020 Republican presidential nominee during the final event of the Republican National Convention on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., August 27, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque



In trying to paint Biden as a tool of the “radical left,” Trump also distorted the Democrat’s policy positions on a host of other issues, including immigration, guns, law enforcement, abortion and energy production.



“If given the chance, he will be the destroyer of American greatness,” Trump warned.



The made-for-television scene &#8211; befitting the first reality TV host to serve as president &#8211; stood in marked contrast to Biden’s acceptance speech last week, which was broadcast live from a largely empty arena in a nod to the disease.



Following the speech, fireworks exploded over the nearby Washington Monument as the president and his family looked on, giving Trump and the convention a powerful closing image.



The crowd, seated in white chairs inches apart, showed little evidence of social distancing or face masks despite health experts’ recommendations. But the Trump campaign said it had taken appropriate health precautions in arranging the South Lawn event.



In a reminder of the country’s divisions, attendees could hear anti-Trump protesters sounding horns near the White House as he spoke, a noise that occasionally was audible on the live broadcast.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">SHIFTING BLAME</h3>



Trump, a former New York real estate developer, is seeking to turn around a re-election campaign that has been largely overshadowed by a health crisis that has put millions of Americans out of work and killed more people than in any other country, according to a Reuters tally.Slideshow&nbsp;(4 Images)



His campaign comes against the backdrop of a fresh wave of protests over the latest high-profile police shooting of a Black American. In Kenosha, relative calm returned after three nights of civil strife ending on Tuesday, including arson, vandalism and deadly shootings.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/396x2767.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-380245" width="704" height="491" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/396x2767.jpg 396w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/396x2767-300x209.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px" /></figure>



In his speech on Thursday, Trump again blamed China for the pandemic and promised in his second term to levy tariffs on any company that left America to create jobs overseas, one of the rare concrete policy proposals of the night.



He also promised to rebuild what Republicans have called the “greatest economy” in history and attacked Biden for saying he would shut down the country if necessary to slow the spread of the disease. Many health experts blame a resurgence of coronavirus cases on states that reopened businesses too soon.



“Joe Biden’s plan is not a solution to the virus, but rather a surrender,” Trump said.



While Trump’s popularity among Republican voters remains high, dissent is mounting within the party.



In three open letters published on Thursday and Friday, Biden won endorsements from more than 160 people who worked for Republican former President George W. Bush or for past Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and John McCain, the New York Times and Politico reported.



Thursday’s program aimed to counterbalance those defections with a video showcasing former Democratic voters who say they now support Trump and remarks from U.S. Representative Jeff Van Drew, who abandoned the Democratic Party to join the Republicans.



Trump kicked off the week on Monday by accusing Democrats of seeking to steal the election by advocating for mail-in voting. His previous high-profile speeches have also emphasized grim themes, including his inaugural address in January 2017 that described “American carnage.”



With both parties’ conventions now complete, the campaign enters a final, frenetic stretch. Biden, who has largely eschewed in-person events since March because of the pandemic, said at a Thursday fundraiser he expects to travel to several battleground states after early September, albeit in a manner he described as responsible.



Trump, who has visited several battleground states during the pandemic, also plans to increase his campaign travel.

396×276(5)

Trump assails rival Biden in White House speech accepting nomination

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa’s Eskom has suspended planned power cuts, after returning to service overnight three generating units at coal-fired power stations, the state utility said on Friday.



More power cuts had been due on Friday in addition to three on consecutive days this week, but supply constraints had eased following the recovery of units at the Lethabo, Medupi and Kusile plants, the ailing utility said in a statement.



Unplanned breakdowns stand at 8,750 megawatts (MW), out of Eskom’s nominal capacity of 44,000 MW, compared to breakdowns of more than 11,900 MW at one stage on Tuesday.



Eskom’s struggles to power Africa’s most industrialised nation are one of the main obstacles to economic growth.



“Any significant deterioration in the generation performance may necessitate the implementation of loadshedding at short notice,” Eskom said, referring to the planned power cuts.

S.Africa’s Eskom halts power cuts after recovering three coal units

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; The South African rand dipped early on Thursday, as the U.S. dollar was lifted by Federal Reserve minutes that were not as dovish as some traders had expected.



At 0600 GMT, the rand traded at 17.2975 versus the dollar, roughly 0.2% weaker.



South African government bonds were flat, with the yield on the 2030 instrument at 9.33%.



In the absence of major domestic data releases this week, the rand has mainly taken its cue from global factors.



The readout of last month’s Fed meeting gave few clues about whether a more dovish shift in policy is possible in the coming months, helping to ease recent selling pressure on the dollar.



South African state power utility Eskom was due to implement a third straight day of planned power cuts on Thursday after breakdowns at its coal-fired power stations.



Local financial markets have shrugged off the latest bout of power cuts so far, but they highlight the obstacles to growth in Africa’s most industrialised economy.



Official forecasts are for a contraction of at least 7% this year, as a strict lockdown from late March piled pressure on local businesses and the coronavirus pandemic dented global demand for South African exports.

101416618-rand

South African rand dips as dollar lifted by Fed minutes

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African miner Gold Fields reported a four-fold jump in half-year earnings on Thursday, benefiting from a surge in the price of the precious metal and lower-than-expected COVID-19 impact on its output.



Headline earnings per share, the main profit measure in South Africa, for the six months ended June 30, rose to $0.20, from $0.05 a year earlier.



Record gold prices and a weaker rand have given the South African gold industry, which has produced a third of the bullion mined in history, a lifeline after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.



“A bittersweet respite for gold companies has been the rise in this safe haven metal to record levels,” said Chief Executive Officer Nick Holland.



The company produced 1.087 million ounces of gold during the period, marginally up from 1.083 million ounces a year ago, despite lockdowns and infection control measures.



Output from Gruyere in Australia and an increase in production days offset the impact of COVID-19 stoppages at South Deep in South Africa and the Cerro Corona mine in Peru, the company said.



Gold Fields estimated it lost output of 42,000 ounces due to COVID-19-related stoppages.



The company, which also has operations in Ghana and the Salares Norte project in Chile, lowered its 2020 gold production forecast to between 2.200 million ounces and 2.250 million ounces, from 2.275 million ounces and 2.315 million ounces.



The company declared an interim dividend of 1.60 rand ($0.093) per ordinary share, up from 0.60 rand ($0.03) per ordinary share a year earlier.



($1=17.2787 rand)

Gold_mines

South Africa’s Gold Fields profit soars on surge in bullion prices

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Back in April, in the thick of a strict nationwide lock-down, CNBC Africa spoke with many entrepreneurs in different industries about the impact that COVID-19 was having on their business. One such entrepreneur was Clinton Verhoog, he is the owner and Chef at the Chairman’s Choice and during the lock-down he was keeping his presence in the industry alive by creating cooking tutorials on social media. He joins CNBC Africa for more.

Here’s how this SA food business has survived in an industry hit hard by COVID-19 lock-downs

COVID-19: This is how the lockdown has impacted food businesses in SA

CAIRO (Reuters) &#8211; Egypt’s annual urban consumer price inflation fell to 4.2% in July from 5.6% in June, the central statistics agency CAPMAS said on Monday.



Month on month inflation increased to 0.4% in July from 0.1% in June, the agency said.

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Egypt’s annual urban consumer price inflation fell to 4.2% in July – CAPMAS

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African retailer Steinhoff International Holdings, battling to recover from a massive accounting fraud, saw its first-half loss more than double as a coronavirus lockdown towards the end of the period weighed on sales.



The company’s loss for the six months ended March 31 widened to 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion) from 571 million euros in the same period last year.



It reported a small rise in sales to 6.2 billion euros from 6.1 billion euros a year earlier, held back by fewer stores and shoppers.



The COVID-19 lockdown had an impact on the group’s retail businesses from mid March.



“As a result, turnover reduced, particularly in general merchandise, for the duration of these restrictions. The performance of the group’s fast-moving consumer goods-focused businesses has been more resilient, partially offsetting this impact,” the retailer said in its 85-page half-year results report.



Steinhoff said trading after lockdown restrictions were eased had been better than expected thanks to pent-up demand, but it was unclear whether this would be was sustained.



Apart from dealing with the pandemic, the retailer, which is also listed in Frankfurt, is trying to settle about 90 legal claims from shareholders who lost money when the company revealed holes in its accounts in 2017. These were the initial signs of an accounting fraud since estimated at $7 billion.



On Monday, the company proposed to pay around $1 billion to settle outstanding claims totalling over 9 billion euros ($10.6 billion).



The group’s net debt remains high &#8211; at 9.7 billion euros in the first half, up from 9.6 billion euros last year.



By 1308 GMT, Steinhoff’s shares were down 2% in Johannesburg, and down 3.4% in Frankfurt.



($1 = 0.8510 euros)

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Steinhoff’s first-half loss more than doubles to $1.7 bln

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; Natural gas and helium producer Renergen has invited applicants for South Africa’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) auction for LNG produced at its project in the Free State, the company said on Monday.



Renergen, which said it holds the only onshore petroleum production rights in South Africa, has invited interested parties to apply to bid for the allocation of LNG produced at its Virginia Gas Project.



The registration for applications will close on Aug. 27 with a blind auction to be held thereafter at an unconfirmed date.



The project, which comprises exploration and production rights of 187,000 hectares of gas fields across Welkom, Virginia and Theunissen, will produce high-quality LNG with an average content of more than 95% methane, the company said.



It also has one of the world’s richest sources of helium, used to cool superconducting magnets in medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, as a gas to breathe in deep-sea diving and as a lifting gas in balloons and airships.



Renergen plans to complete phase 1 of the project to produce LNG and helium by 2021 and expects phase 2 to be available by 2023.

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Egypt’s annual urban consumer price inflation fell to 4.2% in July – CAPMAS

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article

Emirates to resume flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Harare, and Mauritius in October

Safaris are back, and luxury lodges are enlisting guests to help save animals

Moves to help Somalia – IMF statement.

GCA CEO on Africa’s journey to a climate resilient future

COMMENT: Green revolutionaries to boost African growth

U.S. readies bans on cotton, tomato imports from China’s Xinjiang

How bitcoin met the real world in Africa

United Airlines to cut 16,370 workers, many more going without pay

Administrators for S.Africa’s Comair say binding offer received

Trump assails rival Biden in White House speech accepting nomination

S.Africa’s Eskom halts power cuts after recovering three coal units

South African rand dips as dollar lifted by Fed minutes

South Africa’s Gold Fields profit soars on surge in bullion prices

COVID-19: This is how the lockdown has impacted food businesses in SA

Egypt’s annual urban consumer price inflation fell to 4.2% in July – CAPMAS

Steinhoff’s first-half loss more than doubles to $1.7 bln

Renergen to hold South Africa’s first LNG auction

News Tips

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