AP: South Africa: Mandela Rests at Home – South Africa’s presidency reports that Nelson Mandela is “progressing with his recuperation from illness and doctors are closely monitoring his condition.” Mandela is now resting at his home in Johannesburg following his stay in a hospital where he received treatment for a lung infection and had gallstones removed.
Reuters: Wealthy Gulf investors warm to Africa – Wealthy Gulf Arab companies are boosting their investment in Africa’s “vast lands and untapped resources” signaling a shift for investors who previously directed their money towards the US and Europe. This shift is motivated in part by Africa’s rapid economic growth, the rise of an African middle class, and a “sense that much of the continent is becoming better governed and more stable politically.” (Mirna Sleiman)
Financial Times: Africa is hooked on growth – While initially many doubted whether sub-Saharan Africa’s renaissance could last, after a dozen years of uninterrupted progress, that worry has faded. Despite sizable shocks to the world’s economy, gross domestic product per person in the region has risen every year since 2000. Similarly, Africa has “witnessed falls in child mortality faster than any recorded anywhere.” Strong commodity prices and the rise of China as an investor have helped, but improved policies have also made a difference. (Sebastian Mallaby)
CSM: Africa’s energy consumption growing fastest in world – Africa is home to 15 percent of the world’s population, but consumes just 3 percent of the world’s energy output. Almost three-quarters of the people living in sub-Saharan Africa still have no access to electricity via national grids. Yet the situation is rapidly changing, as at a 4.1 percent growth rate, Africa’s per capita energy consumption is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, thanks to “improved infrastructure, inward investment, and efforts to tackle corruption.” (Mike Pflanz)
