29 March 2021
Egypt: The stranded container ship Ever Given is no longer blocking the canal, it was refloated at 13:05 GMT today Monday and the canal is once again open for business.
How much did the Suez Canal blockage cost? According to the insurance company Allianz, “the blockage could cost global trade between $6bn to $10bn a week”. “About 12% of global trade, around one million barrels of oil and roughly 8% of liquefied natural gas pass through the canal each day. SCA chairman Osama Rabie (said) on Saturday that the Canal's revenues were taking a $14m-$15m (…) hit for each day of the blockage. Prior to the pandemic, trade passing through the Suez Canal contributed to 2% of Egypt's GDP, according to Moody's.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56567985
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56567985
And also: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56559073
Also see: https://theconversation.com/after-the-ever-given-what-the-ship-wedged-in-the-suez-canal-means-for-global-trade-157865
And also: https://theconversation.com/suez-canal-container-ship-accident-is-a-worst-case-scenario-for-global-trade-157802
Tanzania: Air Tanzania, the national carrier, has made a huge loss in financial year 2019/2020. “Reviving Air Tanzania operations was a flagship project of the late President John Magufuli who (…) also oversaw the construction of a new airport in the commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, approved another in the north-western town of Geita and also one in the outskirts of the capital, Dodoma.” Air Tanzania had also bought two Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
BBC Africa Live 29 March 2021. 17:24
28 March 2021
Kenya: Despite his criminal past, at the age of 35 Mike Sonko became an MP in 2010, rising to senator in 2013 before being voted in as Nairobi's governor in 2017. But he was removed from office on 17 December 2020. “In a dramatic fall from grace, the colourful former governor of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, is now facing numerous criminal charges including money-laundering and terrorism.” In this article, BBC’s Basillioh Mutahi tells his story.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56269628