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issue 631 | 01 Mar 2026

World

AI as your legal sidekick? Court says think again

Lessons from a case where a defendant’s claim of legal privilege over AI documents failed. In United States v. Heppner, Judge Jed S. Rakoff of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that documents created by a defendant using a third-party AI tool are not protected by attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine, even when later shared with lawyers. The case involved Bradley Heppner, who faced securities and wire fraud charges. Before his arrest, Heppner used Anthropic's AI assistant Claude to generate approximately 31 documents analysing the government's investigation. He then emailed these documents to his legal team. When federal agents later seized the materials, defence counsel argued they were privileged. Judge Rakoff disagreed. Applying established legal privilege principles to an AI context, he concluded that: AI tools are notlawyers, so communications with them do not qualify as privileged; Heppner had no reasonable expectation of confidentiality given the AI tool's data-collection practices and privacy terms; sharing AI-generated content with a lawyer after the fact does not retroactively create privilege; and the work-product doctrine did not apply because the materials were not created at the direction of counsel. The ruling serves as a clear warning: using consumer AI tools independently for legal purposes may expose sensitive materials to discovery.

Source: ENS

Africa

AfDB, UNDP and partners launch the AI 10 Billion Initiative during 2026 Nairobi AI Forum

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched the AI 10 Billion Initiative, a transformative continental drive to accelerate responsible AI adoption and inclusive digital economic growth across Africa. The announcement was made during the recent Nairobi AI Forum 2026, held from 9-10 February 2026 in Kenya, which brought together governments, private sector leaders, development partners and tech innovators to chart pathways for AI adoption with impact. The AI 10 Billion Initiative is a co-designed partnership between the Bank Group, UNDP and private partners that seeks to mobilise up to USD10-billion by 2035. These resources will be deployed to unlock up to 40 million new jobs across the continent by 2035, via targeted investments that build AI foundations and catalyse broad-based adoption – from entrepreneurship and regional data infrastructure to policy frameworks and skills development. This mechanism responds directly to the core themes of the Nairobi AI Forum, which emphasised AI adoption grounded in trust, local value creation, capacity building and sustainable development impact.

Source: AfDB

Africa

AfDB Group awards USD16.6-million grant to IITA to scale agricultural technologies in Africa

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have signed a USD16.61-million grant agreement to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Program (TAAT-III), aimed at scaling climate-resilient food production across the continent. The agreement, signed on 18 February 2026 in Abuja, bolsters a shared commitment to modernise African agriculture by scaling proven technologies, strengthening seed systems, and expanding partnerships among research institutions, governments, and private sector actors. Since its launch in 2018, TAAT has become one of Africa’s most effective and transformative platforms for agricultural innovation, reaching nearly 25 million farmers and boosting productivity across major staples. The initiative has expanded climate-resilient agricultural practices across over 35 million hectares. Working closely with the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Centres and national and regional partners, TAAT has increased crop yields as much as 69% and generated more than USD4-billion in additional agricultural value.

Source: AfDB

Africa

Africa’s uranium producers eye strategic gains as the space race drives nuclear demand

The global space race is reshaping the nuclear fuel cycle and creating new opportunities for African producers. China’s 12 February handover of a satellite ground data receiving station to Namibia, located outside Windhoek and capable of processing real-time remote-sensing data, illustrates how Beijing is combining space infrastructure with resource diplomacy across the continent. As governments and private operators scale satellite constellations, deep-space missions and defence-linked aerospace platforms, the energy demands of that infrastructure are becoming a strategic variable. Beyond ground infrastructure, nuclear propulsion and onboard reactor systems are central to next-generation spacecraft design, with NASA, the United States Department of Defense and Chinese space agencies all advancing programmes that depend on them. The fuel of choice for these advanced reactor concepts is high-assay low-enriched uranium, a material with an almost entirely Russia-dependent supply chain. For governments now treating that dependency as a national security liability, finding alternative sources of uranium is a procurement question that Africa is uniquely positioned to answer.

Source: Energy Capital & Power

Africa

From minerals to manufacturing: UNCTAD supports Africa’s value addition drive

United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan concluded a week-long mission to Africa, highlighting the continent’s strong economic prospects at a decisive moment for global trade and the energy transition – while underscoring the policy choices needed to translate potential into prosperity. Bringing together participation in the African Union (AU) Summit with the launch of two country-level diversification assessments, the visit focused on one central question: how countries can change what they produce so that what they produce can change their economies. In Addis Ababa, Ms Grynspan took part in the AU Summit and held bilateral meetings with Heads of State and senior officials. At a time of global economic uncertainty and geopolitical fragmentation, discussions underscored the importance of regional cooperation and collective action in advancing Africa’s development agenda. At the Africa Business Forum, UNCTAD launched its Least Developed Countries Report 2025, examining how services can become a driver of structural transformation when supported by strategic investment in infrastructure and skills.

Source: UNCTAD

East Africa

EAC pushes five-point plan to ease cross-border trade

Leaders of the East African Community (EAC) have agreed on five priority actions to reduce trade barriers and boost commerce within the region, following a high-level dialogue held in Kigali on Thursday, 19 February. The Multi-Sectoral High-Level Dialogue, held under the theme From commitment to action: scaling up regional competitiveness to unlock trade and prosperity in EAC, brought together policymakers, private sector representatives and regional experts to address long-standing bottlenecks to intra-regional trade. According to Veronica Nduva, trade among EAC partner states has expanded steadily over the past decade, rising from USD6.42-billion in 2016 to USD15.25-billion in 2024, an average annual growth rate of about 11-12%. However, she noted that intra-regional trade still accounts for only around 12% of total exports, up slightly from 11.5% in 2016, underscoring the region’s continued dependence on external markets. “This meeting is about solutions,” Nduva said. “What concrete actions can we take back to the Heads of State to show that progress is being made?” Usta Kayitesi, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said non-tariff barriers remain a major drag on trade within the bloc.

Source: The New Times

West Africa

BOAD explains bond investment strategy amid rising regional debt issuance

The West African Development Bank (BOAD) sent a note to investors recently, explaining its cash management strategy, which involves investing in public bonds issued by member countries, and clarifying how this differs from the budget support it provides member countries. The statement to investors, seen by Reuters, comes at a time when members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) are relying heavily on the regional market to raise cash. “In order to optimise treasury management and mitigate cost of carry, BOAD invests a portion of its available liquidity in the regional market, notably in bonds issued by member countries, which are regarded as among the safest financial instruments across the WAEMU region,” the Togo-based lender said in the statement. “Over more than 50 years of operations, the institution has not recorded any payment default by a sovereign issuer.” BOAD provides budget support to member countries in the form of loans and grants. It said its purchase of sovereign bonds, however, was “exclusively part of its asset management strategy”. Its June 2025 financial statement showed that its portfolio of Ivorian bonds had increased by nearly 360% over six months, while its Senegalese portfolio increased by nearly 65%.

Source: Reuters

West Africa

Resilient rice value chains: AfDB Group and AfricaRice launch USD8.5-million REWARD programme in 14 West African countries

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, in partnership with the Africa Rice Centre (AfricaRice) and the Economic Community of West African States, has launched the Strengthening Adaptation to Climate Change of Rice Value Chains in West Africa (REWARD-AfricaRice) programme. REWARD-AfricaRice is a USD8.5-million AfDB-funded multinational technical support project designed to strengthen rice value chains through improved seed production, sustainable farming practices, better processing technologies and enhanced regional coordination. Implemented through 2029, it will cover the following 14 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Launched in Bouaké, central Côte d’Ivoire, on 13 February 2026, the programme aims to address persistent structural challenges in the rice sector as West Africa faces rapid population growth and urbanisation. It will strengthen climate-resilient rice production, improve seed systems, bolster processing capacity and accelerate regional rice self-sufficiency.

Source: AfDB

The Gambia

Strengthening SOE governance in The Gambia: The case for board reform

State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are foundational to The Gambia’s socio-economic fabric, tasked with delivering essential public services, driving infrastructure development, and generating employment. Despite this strategic mandate, the sector has long been encumbered by inefficiency, financial instability, and profound governance shortcomings. By the close of 2023, the liabilities of SOEs had ballooned to an estimated 20.3% of the nation's GDP, a stark figure underscoring the immense fiscal strain they impose. Repeated government interventions to clear arrears and absorb debts have diverted critical resources from national development priorities. These bailouts, however, are not isolated events but symptoms of deeper structural weaknesses. Audits have consistently revealed insolvency, fragile accounting systems, and a critical lack of clarity between commercial and social mandates. The limited effectiveness of SOE boards, characterised by administrative dominance, has further compounded the issues. In response, the 2023 SOE Act was enacted, a transformative moment designed to re-establish prudent management, restore accountability, and reposition these entities as engines of sustainable growth.

Source: IMF Public Financial Management Blog

Ghana

Ghana secures USD2-billion upstream boost through latest license extension

Ghana’s Parliament has formally ratified the license extensions for the West Cape Three Points and Deepwater Tano Petroleum Agreements – operated by Tullow Oil – to 31 December 2040. The milestone locks in long-term fiscal and regulatory certainty, underpins up to USD2-billion in incremental upstream investment and strengthens Ghana’s domestic gas supply at a time of global energy volatility. The extensions signal a strategic pivot for the country: from managing decline to stabilising production and reinforcing gas security. Backed by the stated-owned Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and developed alongside international partners including Kosmos Energy and PetroSA, the deal aligns policy, capital and operations through 2040. But can this reset truly restore momentum to Ghana’s upstream sector? After several years of production volatility and maturing asset declines across Ghana’s offshore portfolio, the recent license extension represents a welcome development for investors seeking long-term stability. At the core of the agreement is renewed capital commitments and field development plans. Up to 20 additional wells will be drilled at Jubilee, aimed at increasing proven and probable reserves and sustaining output, while at TEN, the partners will focus on cutting costs and bolstering cash flow.

Source: Energy Capital & Power

Mali / Senegal

Landlocked Mali to access the sea through Senegal River in landmark trade project

Mali is preparing to make history. For the first time, the landlocked West African nation will gain direct access to the sea through a new navigation route along the Senegal River, a project set to reshape trade across the region. In April 2026, a groundbreaking ceremony will launch construction on the Saint-Louis-Ambidédi navigation corridor, linking the Atlantic port of Saint-Louis in Senegal to Ambidédi in Mali’s Kayes region. The project, backed by SOGENAV and the Organisation for the Development of the Senegal River, marks a major step toward turning the river into a modern trade artery. For decades, Mali’s economy has been constrained by its geography. Exporters of gold, cotton, and agricultural products have relied on expensive and unpredictable road routes through neighbouring countries. Once operational, the Senegal River corridor is expected to reduce logistics costs by up to 60%, making inland water transport a more efficient and reliable alternative. By easing the movement of goods and lowering trade barriers, the corridor could significantly enhance Mali’s competitiveness in global markets, particularly for bulk commodities.

Source: Business Insider Africa

Seychelles

Seychelles-EU fisheries agreement expires, negotiation ongoing for a new one

The fisheries agreement between the European Union (EU) and Seychelles expired on 23 February. For the time being, the two parties have not yet managed to agree on the annual amount to be paid by the EU. The sustainable fisheries partnership agreement is a longstanding cooperation agreement between Seychelles and the EU, first signed in 1987. It enables EU vessels to fish in the waters under the jurisdiction of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Seychelles wants a 30% increase, while the EU is offering only 3%, which is far below what the island nation wants. “We have agreed on all points except the amount that the [EU] gives to the Seychelles each year; we would like to receive much more than we currently receive,” said Wallace Cosgrow, Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and the Blue Economy. In the absence of an agreement, European tuna vessels can no longer fish in Seychelles waters, but can use the services of Port Victoria. Faced with this deadlock, Cosgrow has reassured the entire sector that the port of Victoria would continue to operate. Fishing is the second pillar of the Seychelles economy.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

Tanzania

Industrial sector sees bright future as investment gains momentum

Tanzania’s industrial sector is hoping for a bright future, with renewed investment, expanding industrial parks and growing youth participation. From coastal regions to the highlands, manufacturing activity is gaining momentum as new industrial clusters and agro-processing facilities come on stream. Workshops that once operated below capacity are now reporting increased production, while large-scale industrial parks continue to attract domestic and foreign investors. Speaking to journalists recently, about the first 100 days of the Sixth Phase Government’s second term, the Minister for Industry and Trade, Ms Judith Kapinga, said the opening phase of the new term has focused on laying firm foundations for a competitive and inclusive industrial economy. “The first hundred days are about defining direction and strengthening the base for sustained industrial growth,” she said, citing political stability and policy consistency as key drivers of investor confidence. According to the minister, Tanzania’s peaceful environment has reassured both local and international investors, translating into factory expansion, job creation and wider market access.

Source: The Citizen

Togo

Togo launches review of aquaculture legislation

Togo is seeking to revise the institutional and regulatory framework governing its aquaculture sector. On 20 February, national stakeholders in aquaculture and biosecurity met in Lomé to formally adopt the findings of a study on the existing legal framework. The initiative is led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Resources and Food Sovereignty, represented by its Chief of Staff, Dindiogue Konlani. It is being implemented with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), through the Fishery Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, with technical assistance from the non-governmental organisation, Oceans Friends International. The study aims to align legislation with national realities and regional standards. It recommends drafting or revising legislation to incorporate biosecurity measures, which are absent from the current fishing and aquaculture law. The review comes as the sector has expanded rapidly in recent years. “Output is currently approaching 3 500 tonnes, compared with about 120 tonnes in the 2010s. Significant investments backed by our strategic partner JICA have supported this progress,” Konlani said.

Source: Togo First

Togo

Togo moves video surveillance declarations online in administrative reform

Togo’s Personal Data Protection Authority (IPDCP) is moving to digitise the declaration process for video surveillance systems under a project carried out with the Togo Digital Agency and overseen by the Ministry of Public Service Efficiency and Digital Transformation. The reform aims to simplify administrative procedures and improve compliance with data protection rules. According to the IPDCP, the platform will streamline the online processing of applications, allowing real-time tracking and clearer monitoring of each stage of the procedure. The initiative forms part of the government’s broader drive to modernise public administration. It aims to reduce processing times, improve access to public services and enhance transparency in dealings with the public. A training session held recently enabled staff to familiarise themselves with the digital workflow, from submission to approval and completion. Simulations were conducted to test internal procedures and ensure staff were fully trained on the system. User testing and technical adjustments will follow ahead of the platform’s official launch, scheduled for 10 March 2026.

Source: Togo First

Togo

Togo signs new International Cocoa Agreement

Togo has become a signatory to the new International Cocoa Agreement (ICA 2026), signing the pact on 13 February 2026, at the United Nations Cocoa Conference hosted by the United Nations Trade and Development in Geneva. It joins Nicaragua and Côte d’Ivoire among the first countries to sign. The Agreement reshapes cooperation between cocoa-producing and consuming countries. It replaces the 2010 accord and moves away from fixed-term renewals, establishing an open-ended framework aimed at stabilising a sector prone to recurring structural imbalances. The ICA 2026 sets out five priorities. Chief among them is securing a living income for producers – a longstanding demand from West African countries, which account for most global output. The Agreement also promotes local processing to boost value addition in producing countries, encourages new industrial uses for cocoa in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, calls for fewer barriers to investment and supports expanded trade in cocoa-derived products.

Source: Togo First

Uganda / Tanzania

Uganda wants to link new railway line to Tanzania, opening up new export route

Uganda wants to link a new railway line it is building to one under construction in neighbouring Tanzania, a government document seen by Reuters showed, potentially opening up a new export route for minerals like gold, copper and iron ore. Uganda currently sends the bulk of its commodities exports via the Kenyan port of Mombasa and has already announced plans to link its Standard Gauge Railway project to one being built in Kenya, an initiative that remains in progress. Uganda had not previously said it would seek to also connect the railway to Tanzania's network and its port of Dar es Salaam. The Ugandan Ministry of Works and Transport document said the railway would run from the border with Tanzania through the south and southwest of Uganda, ending at the town of Mpondwe on the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The main objective of the project is to connect the vast and mineral-rich regions of both countries (Uganda and Tanzania) to the port of Dar es Salaam ... [while] saving time and transportation costs,” the document said.

Source: Reuters

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe bans exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates, cites malpractices

Zimbabwe has suspended exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates with immediate effect, its mines ministry said in a statement recently, after the government alleged malpractices and leakages. The ministry said the ban on exports would remain in place until further notice and applied to all minerals currently in transit. “Government expects cooperation of the mining industry on this measure which has been taken in the national interest,” the statement said. “Government remains committed to... in-country value addition and beneficiation, compliance, and accountability in the exportation of Zimbabwe's mineral resources,” it added. In a letter seen by Reuters and addressed to Zimbabwe's Chamber of Mines, which represents major mining companies, the mines ministry said it would realign export processes due to concern about “continued malpractices during the exportation of minerals”. “This review is part of a broader effort to curb leakages and enhance efficiency within our systems,” the ministry wrote on 17 February. Zimbabwe's ban on lithium concentrates was previously expected to come into effect in 2027 as part of a push for more local processing.

Source: Reuters