Afreximbank affiche de solides résultats pour l’exercice 2025, avec un total d’actifs et d’engagements conditionnels de 48,5 milliards de dollars US

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

La Banque africaine d’import-export (« Afreximbank » ou la « Banque ») (www.Afreximbank.com) et ses filiales (le « Groupe ») ont annoncé de solides résultats pour l’exercice clos le 31 décembre 2025, soulignant une résilience financière soutenue, une confiance accrue du marché et une exécution stratégique.

Le total des actifs et des engagements conditionnels a augmenté de 21 % pour atteindre 48,5 milliards de dollars, contre 40,1 milliards de dollars au 31 décembre 2024, soulignant la trajectoire de croissance constante de la Banque.

Les prêts et avances nets du Groupe ont clôturé l’année à 33,5 milliards de dollars US (Exercice 2024 : 29,0 milliards de dollars US), soit une augmentation de 16 %, soutenue par des décaissements continus à travers le continent et les Caraïbes par le biais de diverses offres de produits. Le Groupe a financé des domaines prioritaires stratégiques tels que l’industrie manufacturière, les infrastructures, la sécurité alimentaire et l’adaptation au changement climatique.

Le ratio de prêts non performants (NPL) du Groupe est resté stable à 2,43% (Exercice 2024 : 2,33 %), ce qui témoigne de la qualité constante de son portefeuille.

La situation de trésorerie du Groupe est restée solide, avec une trésorerie et des équivalents de trésorerie s’élevant à 6,0 milliards de dollars US (Exercice 2024 : 4,6 milliards de dollars US). Les actifs liquides représentaient 14 % du total des actifs, soit un niveau supérieur au seuil stratégique minimum de 10 % fixé par la Banque. Les capitaux propres ont augmenté de 17 % pour atteindre 8,4 milliards de dollars US au 31 décembre 2025, grâce à un résultat net de 1,2 milliard de dollars US et à de nouveaux apports en capitaux propres de 299,4 millions de dollars US levés dans le cadre de la deuxième augmentation générale de capital.

Le revenu brut a augmenté de 6,06 %, passant de 3,3 milliards de dollars US pour l’exercice 2024 à 3,5 milliards de dollars US pour l’exercice 2025.

Les charges d’exploitation ont augmenté pour atteindre 459,2 millions de dollars (Exercice 2024 : 367,7 millions de dollars), reflétant l’expansion stratégique des effectifs et les pressions inflationnistes, le Groupe ayant maintenu une forte efficacité en matière de coûts, ce qui s’est traduit par un ratio coûts/revenus de 21 % (Exercice 2024 : 18 %), bien en dessous du plafond stratégique de 30 %.

Contrairement aux inquiétudes soulevées par certaines agences de notation au cours de l’année, la Banque a accédé aux marchés obligataires internationaux en levant avec succès plus de 800 millions de dollars US au Japon et en Chine, grâce aux obligations Samurai et Panda en 2025. Cela a démontré les capacités de mobilisation de fonds du Groupe et la solidité de l’ADN de la Banque en tant qu’institution financière multilatérale panafricaine engagée à garantir que l’autonomie totale et durable de l’Afrique reste inébranlable.

Le revenu net a augmenté de 19 % pour atteindre 1,2 milliard de dollars US en 2025, contre 973,5 millions de dollars US l’année précédente. Ces résultats ont été obtenus grâce à l’élargissement de l’offre de solutions financières et de conseil sur mesure qui ont soutenu le commerce, favorisé l’industrialisation et renforcé l’autonomie économique.

Les résultats phares du Groupe Afreximbank sont présentés ci-après :

Indicateurs de performance financière

Exercice 2025 :

Exercice 2024 :

Revenu brut (milliards de dollars US)

3,5

3,3

Revenu net (en millions de dollars US)

1,156,8

973,5

Rendement des fonds propres moyens (ROAE)

15 %

15 %

Rendement de l’actif moyen (ROAA)

3,04 %

2,96 %

Ratio coût/revenus

21 %

18 %

Indicateurs de performance financière

Exercice 2025 :

3e trimestre 2024

Total des actifs (en milliards de dollars US)

42,3

35,3

Total des passifs (en milliards de dollars US)

33,9

28,1

Fonds propres (en milliards de dollars US)

8,4

7,2

Ratio des prêts non performants (PNP)

2,43 %

2,33 %

Liquidités/Total des actifs

14 %

13 %

Ratio d’adéquation des fonds propres (Bâle II)

                    23 %

24 %

M. Denys Denya, premier vice-président exécutif d’Afreximbank, a déclaré :

« En dépit de la persistance des défis géopolitiques mondiaux et les perturbations causées par certaines décisions de notation, le Groupe a enregistré d’excellents résultats financiers en 2025, rendant ainsi un hommage mérité à une décennie de leadership marquant sous la direction du professeur Oramah, avec un total de l’actif et des engagements conditionnels atteignant 49 milliards de dollars. Il est réjouissant de constater que le Groupe est largement en avance sur la plupart de ses objectifs dans la mise en œuvre de son 6e plan stratégique, qui s’achève le 31 décembre 2026. Grâce à la rentabilité des filiales récemment créées, telles que le FEDA et AfrexInsure, le résultat net a augmenté de 19 % pour s’établir à 1,2 milliard de dollars, soutenu par une solide base de capital de 8,4 milliards de dollars.  Le bilan du Groupe n’a jamais été aussi solide, avec des niveaux de liquidité et une capitalisation bien supérieure aux objectifs fixés, ainsi qu’une bonne qualité des actifs. Ces résultats témoignent de l’engagement sans faille de notre personnel, qui travaille d’arrache-pied. Nous avons entamé l’exercice 2026 avec un élan considérable, prêts à accroître l’impact du Groupe, à accélérer l’intégration commerciale et la création de valeur à travers l’Afrique, et à offrir davantage de valeur à nos actionnaires ».

Distribué par APO Group pour Afreximbank.

Contact Presse : 
Vincent Musumba 
Responsable de la communication et de la gestion événementielle (Relations presse) 
Courriel : press@afreximbank.com 

Suivez-nous sur : 
X : https://apo-opa.co/4tjtE4Z 
Facebook : https://apo-opa.co/4vlPHt2# 
LinkedIn : https://apo-opa.co/4t4t2jt 
Instagram : https://apo-opa.co/4tASTz8

À propos d’Afreximbank :
La Banque Africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank) est une institution financière multilatérale panafricaine dédiée au financement et à la promotion du commerce intra et extra-africain. Depuis 30 ans, Afreximbank déploie des structures innovantes pour fournir des solutions de financement qui facilitent la transformation de la structure du commerce africain et accélèrent l’industrialisation et le commerce intrarégional, soutenant ainsi l’expansion économique en Afrique. Fervente défenseur de l’Accord sur la Zone de Libre-Échange Continentale Africaine (ZLECAf), Afreximbank a lancé les le Système panafricain de paiement et de règlement (PAPSS) qui a été adopté par l’Union africaine (UA) comme la plateforme de paiement et de règlement devant appuyer la mise en œuvre de la ZLECAf. En collaboration avec le Secrétariat de la ZLECAf et l’UA, la Banque a mis en place un Fonds d’ajustement de 10 milliards de dollars US pour aider les pays à participer de manière effective à la ZLECAf. À la fin de décembre 2025, le total des actifs et des garanties de la Banque s’élevait à environ 48,5 milliards de dollars US et les fonds de ses actionnaires s’établissaient à 8,4 milliards de dollars US. Afreximbank est notée AAA par China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI), A par GCR, A- par Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) et Baa2 par Moody’s. Moody’s (Baa2). Au fil des ans, Afreximbank est devenue un groupe constitué de la Banque, de sa filiale de financement à impact appelée Fonds de développement des exportations en Afrique (FEDA), et de sa filiale de gestion d’assurance, AfrexInsure, (les trois entités forment « le Groupe »). La Banque a son siège social au Caire, en Égypte.

Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez visiter www.Afreximbank.com 

Déclarations prospectives :
Le Groupe de la Banque africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank) procède de temps à autre à des déclarations prospectives écrites et/ou orales, comme indiqué dans cette publication et dans d’autres communications. De même, les dirigeants de la Banque peuvent faire des déclarations prospectives, soit par écrit, soit lors de conversations verbales avec des investisseurs, des analystes, les médias et d’autres membres de la communauté financière. Les déclarations concernant les stratégies, les objectifs et les priorités de la Banque, ainsi que les performances financières prévues pour la période, constituent des déclarations prospectives. Elles sont souvent exprimées par des termes tels que « devrait », « serait », « pourrait », « s’attendre à », « anticiper », « estimer », « projeter », « avoir l’intention de » et « croire ».

Par leur nature même, ces déclarations obligent la Banque à formuler des hypothèses qui sont soumises à des risques et à des incertitudes, en particulier des incertitudes liées à l’environnement financier, économique, réglementaire et social dans lequel la Banque opère. Certains de ces risques échappent au contrôle de la Banque et peuvent entrainer des résultats sensiblement différents des attentes déduites des déclarations prospectives. Les facteurs de risque susceptibles de provoquer de telles différences comprennent les déclarations réglementaires, les risques de crédit, de marché (y compris les actions, les matières premières, les taux de change et les taux d’intérêt), de liquidité, d’exploitation, de réputation, d’assurance, de stratégie, de droit, d’environnement, ainsi que d’autres risques connus ou inconnus. Par conséquent, nous recommandons aux lecteurs de procéder à une évaluation plus approfondie lorsqu’ils prennent des décisions concernant la Banque et de ne pas se fier indûment aux déclarations prospectives de celle-ci.

Tout énoncé prospectif contenu dans cette présentation représente les vues de la direction uniquement à la date des présentes. Ces déclarations visent à aider les investisseurs et les analystes de la Banque à comprendre la situation financière, les stratégies, les objectifs et les priorités de la Banque, ainsi que les performances financières prévues par rapport à la période en cours, et, à ce titre, peuvent ne pas être appropriés à d’autres fins. La Banque ne s’engage pas à mettre à jour les déclarations prospectives, écrites ou verbales, qui peuvent être faites de temps à autre par elle-même ou en son nom, sauf si des dispositions ou exigences réglementaires applicables l’exigent. 

Media files

O Afreximbank apresenta resultados sólidos para o exercício de 2025, com um total de activos e passivos contingentes de 48,5 mil milhões de USD

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

O Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (“Afreximbank” ou o “Banco”) (www.Afreximbank.com) e as suas subsidiárias (o “Grupo”) anunciaram resultados sólidos para o exercício findo a 31 de Dezembro de 2025, sublinhando a resiliência financeira sustentada, o aumento da confiança do mercado e a execução estratégica.

O total de activos e passivos contingentes aumentou 21%, passando de 40,1 mil milhões de USD em 31 de Dezembro de 2024 para 48,5 mil milhões de USD, sublinhando a trajectória de crescimento consistente do Banco.

Os empréstimos e adiantamentos líquidos do Grupo encerraram o ano em 33,5 mil milhões de USD (Exercício de 2024: 29,0 mil milhões de USD), um aumento de 16%, apoiado por desembolsos contínuos em todo o continente e nas Caraíbas através de várias ofertas de produtos. O Grupo financiou áreas prioritárias estratégicas, tais como a indústria transformadora, as infra-estruturas, a segurança alimentar e a adaptação às alterações climáticas.

O Rácio de Créditos Não Produtivos (NPL) do Grupo manteve-se estável em 2,43% (Exercício de 2024: 2,33%), demonstrando uma qualidade constante da carteira.

A posição de liquidez do Grupo manteve-se robusta, com um saldo de caixa e equivalentes de caixa de 6,0 mil milhões de USD (Exercício de 2024: 4,6 mil milhões de USD). Os activos líquidos representaram 14% do total de activos, acima do nível mínimo estratégico do Banco, fixado em 10%. Os fundos próprios aumentaram 17% para 8,4 mil milhões de USD a 31 de Dezembro de 2025, impulsionados por um resultado líquido de 1,2 mil milhões de USD e por novas entradas de capital no valor de 299,4 milhões de USD angariadas no âmbito do Aumento Geral de Capital II.

O rendimento bruto aumentou 6,06%, atingindo 3,5 mil milhões de USD no exercício de 2025, contra 3,3 mil milhões de USD alcançados no Exercício de 2024.

As despesas operacionais aumentaram para 459,2 milhões de USD (Exercício de 2024: 367,7 milhões de USD), reflectindo a expansão estratégica do quadro de pessoal e as pressões inflacionistas, tendo o Grupo mantido uma forte eficiência de custos, o que resultou num rácio custo/rendimento de 21% (Exercício de 2024: 18%), bem abaixo do limite estratégico de 30%.

Contrariamente às preocupações levantadas por algumas agências de notação durante o ano, o Banco acedeu aos mercados obrigacionistas internacionais, angariando com sucesso mais de 800 milhões de USD no Japão e na China, graças às obrigações Samurai e Panda em 2025. Isso demonstrou as capacidades de angariação de fundos do Grupo e a natureza sólida do ADN do Banco como instituição financeira multilateral pan-africana empenhada em garantir que a auto-suficiência plena e sustentável de África se mantenha firme.

O resultado líquido aumentou 19%, para 1,2 mil milhões de USD em 2025, contra os 973,5 milhões de USD do exercício anterior. Estes resultados foram alcançados através da expansão da oferta de soluções financeiras e de consultoria personalizadas que apoiaram o comércio, promoveram a industrialização e reforçaram a auto-suficiência económica.

Os destaques dos resultados do Grupo Afreximbank são apresentados a seguir:

Métricas de Desempenho Financeiro

Exercício de 2025

Exercício de 2024

Receita Bruta (mil milhões de USD)

3,5

3,3

Receitas Líquidas (milhões de USD)

1.156,8

973,5

Rendimento do Capital Próprio Médio (ROAE)

15%

15%

Rendimento dos Activos Médios (ROAA)

3,04%

2,96%

Rácio de Eficiência

21%

18%

Métricas da Situação Financeira

Exercício de 2025

9 milhões em 2024

Total de Activos (mil milhões de USD)

42,3

35,3

Total de Passivos (mil milhões de USD))

33,9

28,1

Fundos de Accionistas (mil milhões de USD)

8,4

7,2

Rácio de Créditos Não Produtivos (NPL)

2,43%

2,33%

Caixa/Total de Activos

14%

13%

Rácio de Adequação de Capital (Basileia II)

                        23%

24%

O Sr. Denys Denya, Vice-Presidente Executivo Sénior do Afreximbank, comentou:

“Apesar dos contínuos desafios geopolíticos globais e das perturbações causadas por algumas acções de notação de risco, o Grupo registou um excelente desempenho financeiro em 2025, um tributo merecido a uma década de liderança marcante sob a direcção do Professor Oramah, com o total de activos e passivos contingentes a atingir 49 mil milhões de USD. É gratificante constatar que o Grupo está muito à frente da maioria das suas metas no cumprimento do seu 6.º Plano Estratégico, que termina a 31 de Dezembro de 2026. Com subsidiárias recentemente criadas, como a FEDA e a AfrexInsure, a se tornarem rentáveis, o resultado líquido cresceu 19%, atingindo 1,2 mil milhões de USD, sustentado por uma sólida base de capital de 8,4 mil milhões de USD. O balanço do Grupo apresenta-se mais sólido do que nunca, com níveis de liquidez e capitalização bem acima das metas e boa qualidade dos activos. Estes resultados são testemunho da execução inabalável por parte do capital humano trabalhador do Grupo. Entrámos no exercício financeiro de 2026 com um ímpeto significativo, prontos para ampliar o impacto do Grupo, acelerar a integração comercial e a criação de valor em toda África Global, e proporcionar maior valor aos nossos accionistas.”

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Afreximbank.

Contacto para a Imprensa: 
Vincent Musumba 
Gestor de Comunicações e Eventos (Relações com a Imprensa) 
Correio Electrónico: press@afreximbank.com 

Siga-nos no:  
X: https://apo-opa.co/4tjtE4Z 
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4vlPHt2# 
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/4t4t2jt 
Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/4tASTz8

Sobre o Afreximbank:
O Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank) é uma instituição financeira multilateral pan-africana com mandato para financiar e promover o comércio intra e extra-africano. Há mais de 30 anos que o Banco utiliza estruturas inovadoras para oferecer soluções de financiamento que apoiam a transformação da estrutura do comércio africano, acelerando a industrialização e o comércio intra-regional, impulsionando assim a expansão económica em África. Apoiante firme do Acordo de Comércio Livre Continental Africano (ACLCA), o Afreximbank lançou um Sistema Pan-Africano de Pagamento e Liquidação (PAPSS) que foi adoptado pela União Africana (UA) como plataforma de pagamento e liquidação para sustentar a implementação da ZCLCA. Em colaboração com o Secretariado da ZCLCA e a UA, o Banco criou um Fundo de Ajustamento de 10 mil milhões de dólares para apoiar os países que participam de forma efectiva na ZCLCA. No final de Dezembro de 2025, o total de activos e passivos contingentes do Afreximbank atingiu mais de 48,5 mil milhões de USD, e os seus fundos próprios totalizaram 8,4 mil milhões de USD. O Afreximbank tem notações de grau de investimento atribuídas pela China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), pela GCR (A), pela Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) e pela Moody’s (Baa2). O Afreximbank evoluiu para uma entidade de grupo que inclui o Banco, a sua subsidiária de fundo de impacto de acções, denominada Fundo para o Desenvolvimento das Exportações em África (FEDA), e a sua subsidiária de gestão de seguros, AfrexInsure (em conjunto, “o Grupo”). O Banco tem a sua sede em Cairo, Egipto.

Para mais informações, visite: www.Afreximbank.com. 

Declarações prospectivas:
O Grupo Banco Africano de Exportação-Importação (Afreximbank) apresenta periodicamente declarações prospectivas por escrito e/ou orais, tal como consta no presente comunicado e noutras comunicações. De igual modo, os responsáveis do Banco podem fazer declarações prospectivas, quer por escrito, quer durante conversas verbais com investidores, analistas, meios de comunicação social e outros membros da comunidade de investidores. As declarações relativas às estratégias, objectivos, prioridades e resultados financeiros previstos do Banco para o período em causa constituem indicações futuras. São geralmente descritas com termos como “deveria”, “iria”, “pode”, “poderia”, “espera”, “antecipa”, “estima”, “projecta”, “pretende” e “acredita”.

Pela sua própria natureza, essas declarações exigem que o Banco faça suposições sujeitas a riscos e incertezas, especialmente incertezas relacionadas com o ambiente financeiro, económico, regulamentar e social em que o Banco opera. Alguns destes riscos estão fora do controlo do Banco e podem conduzir a resultados materialmente diferentes das expectativas inferidas a partir das indicações futuras. Os factores de risco que podem causar tais diferenças incluem declarações regulamentares, crédito, mercado (incluindo acções, mercadorias, divisas e taxas de juro), liquidez, operacional, reputacional, seguros, estratégia, jurídico, ambiental e outros riscos conhecidos e desconhecidos. Consequentemente, ao tomar decisões relativamente ao Banco, recomendamos que os leitores efectuem uma avaliação mais aprofundada e não se apoiem demasiado nas declarações prospectivas do Banco.

Quaisquer declarações prospectivas contidas neste comunicado de imprensa representam as opiniões da administração apenas na data deste documento. Essas declarações têm como objectivo ajudar os investidores e analistas do Banco a compreender a posição financeira, as estratégias, os objectivos, as prioridades e o desempenho financeiro previsto do Banco em relação ao período actual e, como tal, podem não ser apropriadas para outros fins. O Banco não se compromete a actualizar quaisquer declarações prospectivas, sejam elas escritas ou verbais, que possam ser feitas periodicamente por si ou em seu nome, excepto conforme exigido pelas disposições ou requisitos regulamentares aplicáveis.

Media files

Baixar .tipo

African financial institutions call for coordinated financing solutions to unlock Africa’s digital transformation

Source: APO – Report:

African multilateral financial institutions, policymakers, development partners, and private sector leaders have called for more coordinated, innovative, and better-structured financing approaches to support Africa’s digital and technological transformation.

This was a key message from a high-level session held on April 1 on the sidelines of the 58th Session of the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, under the theme “Financing for Innovation: The Role of African Multilateral Financial Institutions in Accelerating Africa’s Technological and Economic Transformation.”

The session brought together senior representatives from governments, African multilateral financial institutions, and development partners to examine how to mobilize long-term, affordable capital for digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and innovation-led sectors—critical drivers of productivity, job creation, and structural transformation.

Despite the rapid expansion of Africa’s digital economy, participants underscored that access to affordable, long-term financing remains a binding constraint.

High costs of capital, limited risk-sharing mechanisms, currency risks, and insufficient early-stage financing continue to inhibit investment in digital infrastructure and innovation ecosystems. These challenges are further compounded by gaps in project preparation and the limited availability of bankable investment opportunities.

Opening the session, Hanan Morsy, Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme) and Chief Economist at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, emphasized:

“Africa’s innovation challenge is not a shortage of ideas, but a shortage of long-term, affordable, and well-structured financing. Addressing this will be critical to unlocking productivity, job creation, and structural transformation across the continent.”

Participants highlighted the need to address the disconnect between capital availability and actual investment in innovation-driven sectors.

Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President-Global Trade Bank at African Export-Import Bank, noted:

“One of Africa’s key challenges is not a lack of capital, but a shortage of bankable projects and stronger institutional collaboration to scale investment.”

Strengthening project preparation, improving pipeline development, and deepening coordination across institutions were identified as key priorities to unlock large-scale financing.

Participants also emphasized the need to adapt financing approaches through blended and risk-sharing structures, combining guarantees, advisory, and capital mobilization to better align with the risk-return profiles of technology and innovation-driven sectors.

Adeniran Aderogba, President and CEO of Regional Maritime Development Bank, stated:

“In the technology space, risk is harder to structure. We need more creative financing models and dedicated funds to support early-stage innovation.”

The discussion highlighted the need for expanded use of tailored financial instruments including blended finance, co-financing mechanisms, and dedicated innovation to support the full lifecycle of innovation from early-stage development to scale.

The session also underscored that financing innovation must go hand in hand with investments in enabling infrastructure and systems.

Robert Lisinge, Director of Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure at ECA, noted:

“Technology and innovation go beyond digital. We are talking about a broader ecosystem—including infrastructure, energy, and emerging technologies—all of which require significant investment.”

Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening regulatory frameworks, digital infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems to enable scalable and sustainable investment.

The session concluded with a strong call to move beyond traditional financing approaches toward more coordinated and practical solutions that can:

  • Reduce financing costs for digital and innovation sectors
  • Expand risk-sharing and co-financing mechanisms
  • Strengthen project preparation and pipeline development
  • Mobilize long-term capital at scale
  • Enhance collaboration among African institutions and partners

Organized by the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions and partners, the session forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Africa’s financial architecture and position African multilateral financial institutions at the center of financing the continent’s digital and economic transformation.

– on behalf of Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI).

Media Contact:
Ms. Senait Afework
Communication and Programme Manager
Email: safework@aamfi.org

About the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) or the Africa Club:
The Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), also known as the Africa Club, is an alliance of African-owned and controlled multilateral financial institutions established to advance the interests of their member states in global finance and to promote coordinated African solutions to development financing challenges.

Launched on 17 February 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the margins of the African Union Summit, AAMFI works to strengthen collaboration, cooperation, and coordination among its members in support of Africa’s sustainable development and integration objectives.

AAMFI brings together leading African financial institutions, including the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group), African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re), African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company), East African Development Bank (EADB), African Solidarity Fund (ASF), and the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), as well as new members including the Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD).

Collectively, AAMFI members command a balance sheet exceeding US$70 billion, providing critical financing for trade, infrastructure, and development across the continent.

Media files

.

Keynote address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the American Chamber of Commerce SA Annual General Meeting, Gordon Institute of Business Science, Johannesburg

Source: President of South Africa –

Programme Director;
President of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce, Mr Kuseni Dlamini;
Members of the Board of Directors;
CEO of the Chamber, Ms Michelle Constant;
Representatives of US and South African business;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen. 

Thank you to the American Chamber of Commerce South Africa for this invitation. 

I welcome this opportunity for engagement as we work together to strengthen economic ties between South Africa and the United States.

The American Chamber of Commerce in South Africa has been a constructive, committed and valued partner for close to half a century.

It remains a credible voice for US business in South Africa.

Importantly, it is a firm advocate for strengthening trade, investment and commercial ties between South Africa and the United States.

Since the Government of National Unity came into office, we have been focused on our apex strategic priority to drive inclusive growth and create employment. 

We see US business as integral to achieving this priority.

At the same time, the growth of our economy and the creation of jobs is good for US companies doing business in South Africa.

It creates more opportunities, expands potential markets, introduces more suppliers and expands the pool of talent from which companies can draw.

The United States has long been a major source of foreign direct investment in South Africa. 

There are more than 600 American companies operating here. 

It is estimated that US companies employ more than 250,000 South Africans.

These companies invest in South Africa because they achieve valuable returns.

They invest because South Africa has significant resources. We have large reserves of critical minerals, abundant renewable energy sources and a young and capable workforce.

This is underpinned by stable institutions, the rule of law, advanced infrastructure and deep capital markets.

Not only do these companies have access to the South African market, but they see great potential for expansion into the vast African market.

There are a number of South African companies operating in the US market, which create jobs for Americans and contribute to the US economy.

Both sides see the clear gains to be made from investing in each other’s markets. 

We were encouraged by the presence of more than 600 US business leaders at the B20 Summit in Johannesburg in November last year.

This show of force on the part of US business was a resounding signal of confidence, trust and friendship. 

We also see significant opportunities for expanding bilateral trade between South Africa and the United States.

Our trade relations have historically been complementary in nature.

South Africa’s exports to the United States support the development of US industries and provide American consumers with choice.

The goods and services we import from the US in turn support the development of our economy and are helping to equip South Africa for a changing global economy.

We recently held a critical minerals forum in Washington, with key US government departments and business. 

We will continue work to develop a critical minerals framework that can ensure that we continue to be a strategic supplier of critical minerals to the US. 

At the same time, we want to develop collaborative programmes that increase investment in this important sector in our economy. 

We appreciate that our trade relations face several challenges.

The US administration has been forthright in its assessment of our trade relations and we welcome its willingness to engage with South Africa to address concerns.

Recently we have had several positive signals from the United States. 

We are actively engaged with various committees both in the House and the Senate on the renewal of AGOA.

At the same time, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition remains engaged with the US Trade Representative.

We are committed to working together more closely and with greater focus to achieve a trade agreement that is mutually beneficial.

There is a great deal that we can offer each other and there is no reason why we can’t reach agreement on areas of difference. 

As we continue the work to strengthen economic ties, we are committed to rebuild political and diplomatic relations between our two countries.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of receiving the credentials of the new US Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Bozell.

Through the engagements that have taken place since his arrival in the country, I believe we have made progress in developing a common understanding of the issues that continue for the moment to define our relationship.

Ambassador Bozell has made deepening our commercial trade a priority. 

I understand that the Ambassador wants to double the amount of US companies operating in South Africa. 

This is an ambition that we wholeheartedly support and that we hope to work together to achieve. 

South Africa is at an important moment of economic renewal. 

The measures we have undertaken over the last few years to rebuild our economy are bearing fruit. 

Electricity supply has stabilised and Eskom has been returned to operational viability. 

Together with market reforms and substantial private investment in renewable energy, we are laying the foundation for a competitive energy market that will reduce costs for households and businesses.

Through Operation Vulindlela, we have seen improvements in the efficiency of our ports and we are enabling access to our freight rail for private operators. 

We have seen a decline in the cost of broadband data alongside an improvement in access.

Far-reaching changes to our visa regime will enable the country to attract greater investment, skills and tourism.

We have embarked on a second phase of Operation Vulindlela, focusing on local government, digital transformation and reducing spatial inequality.

A particular area of focus now is on ensuring reliable access to water for households, businesses and agriculture. 

Through a National Water Crisis Committee, we are undertaking interventions to transform the provision and management of water services across the country. 

Our commitment to macroeconomic stability and prudent fiscal management has resulted in the stabilisation of public finances and has seen our sovereign risk profile improve. 

We are reforming our criminal justice system and tackling crime and corruption, so that businesses can invest and operate without fear. 

We are establishing a new criminal justice reform initiative modelled on the success of Operation Vulindlela, which will focus on combating organised crime, corruption, the illicit economy and illegal firearms.

We have allocated more than R3 trillion over the next three years to modernise and expand public infrastructure across South Africa. This includes massive investment in roads, railways, ports, dams, energy generation and transmission, and housing.

We remain committed to the transformation of our economy to drive sustained growth, reduce inequality and correct the injustices of the past.

We appreciate the contribution that US companies continue to make to the transformation effort. 

The many US companies that have been in our country for decades and the many companies that are now coming here to invest not only respect and adhere to our broad-based black economic empowerment laws.

They have also invested substantially in developing local black and women suppliers, provided training to young black South Africans and invested in social development programmes.

We are grateful for the frank and constructive engagements that we have had over the years to ensure that we advance the constitutional imperative of empowerment while ensuring that companies can effectively operate.

Through working together, we have developed innovative and practical mechanisms such as the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme.

This has enabled multinationals whose global policies prevent them from complying with the ownership element of broad-based black economic empowerment to invest in socio-economic, skills and enterprise development.

The US companies that are investing in South Africa – many of them well-known Blue Chip companies – do not see transformation as an impediment to investment.

They are not deterred by the scare tactics that are often used by our country’s detractors.

Nor are they deterred by the false claims that black economic empowerment imposes onerous costs on companies while delivering no value.

As is the case in other markets where they invest, these US companies understand our need to promote local production, to build an inclusive economy and to create economic opportunities for all our people.

We look forward to continued engagement with US companies as we work to strengthen the policies that support transformation while at the same time enabling investment and growth.
 
Last week, we held our sixth South Africa Investment Conference, at which companies made investment commitments worth a cumulative total of more than R889 billion.

This is more than what was raised at any of the previous Investment Conferences.

It is significant that around three-quarters of the value of private sector commitments is domestic capital.

This shows the confidence of South African investors in their economy.

The fact that the business people who understand our country the best are now starting to invest here at a greater scale should give encouragement to international investors.

These investments should also provide direction to where the potential lies in our economy.

South Africa offers great opportunities for multinational seeking to diversify their supply chains, especially in the midst of geopolitical uncertainty.

South Africa provides a stable, rules-based operating environment at the southern tip of a continent with the world’s fastest-growing labour force and some of its most underexploited mineral wealth.

We have the infrastructure, skills and growing capabilities to seize the opportunities presented by the profound technological changes that are reshaping our world.

In conclusion, and on behalf of all South Africans, I thank you for your unwavering confidence in our country. 

Despite a difficult global environment, trade and investment relations between South Africa and the United States are strong.

We are committed to deepening cooperation and opening up new opportunities. 

I wish the American Chamber of Commerce all the best in its ongoing work to champion the interests of US companies in South Africa and to champion the growth and development of our economy.

I thank you.
 

African Energy Chamber (AEC) Supports Perenco Partnership to Advance Industry 4.0 Skills in Central Africa

Source: APO – Report:

.

A new partnership between Perenco Cameroon, Perenco Gabon and the UCAC-ICAM Institute in Douala to establish an Industry 4.0 laboratory marks a significant step toward aligning academic training with the evolving needs of the energy and industrial sectors. The facility will give students access to advanced automation, digital simulation and smart production technologies, helping close the gap between academic learning and the practical, industry-ready skills required across Central Africa’s industrial landscape.

As the voice of Africa’s energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) welcomes the initiative as a scalable model for local content development. By equipping students with Industry 4.0 capabilities, the laboratory directly supports the Chamber’s mandate to ensure greater in-country value creation and workforce participation across Africa’s energy value chain. The initiative also addresses critical skills shortages, enabling operators to increasingly rely on locally trained talent.

The partnership underscores Perenco’s long-term commitment to sustainable development and capacity building in Cameroon and Gabon. Designed as a mini-factory, the UCAC-ICAM laboratory enables students to engage with real-world industrial tools and processes. This hands-on approach will support the development of engineers and technicians capable of contributing to key projects, including operations in the Rio del Rey Basin and infrastructure developments such as the Cap Lopez LNG terminal in Gabon.

Students across multiple disciplines will benefit from hands-on exposure to the lab’s advanced technologies. General Engineering students will train using robotic systems and virtual reality simulations, while Computer Science Engineering students will focus on industrial IoT and smart technologies. Process Engineering students will gain experience in automated production systems, and Petroleum program students will develop expertise in energy systems and instrumentation control. Graduates from UCAC-ICAM are being actively recruited by leading companies operating in Douala, reflecting growing demand for locally trained, industry-ready talent.

“Developing local skills is fundamental to building a competitive and sustainable energy sector in Africa,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. “This partnership demonstrates how industry and academia can work together to create a highly skilled workforce that will drive Africa’s industrialization and energy future. It is exactly the type of initiative needed to ensure Africans play a leading role in developing the continent’s resources.”

The UCAC-ICAM laboratory represents a strategic investment in Africa’s industrial and energy future. By strengthening local capacity, advancing technology adoption and supporting independent operators, the initiative aligns with the AEC’s broader vision of a self-sufficient and globally competitive African energy sector.

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) soutient le partenariat de Perenco visant à développer les compétences en Industrie 4.0 en Afrique centrale

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Un nouveau partenariat entre Perenco Cameroun, Perenco Gabon et l’Institut UCAC-ICAM à Douala visant à créer un laboratoire Industrie 4.0 marque une étape importante vers l’alignement de la formation universitaire sur les besoins en constante évolution des secteurs de l’énergie et de l’industrie. Cette installation permettra aux étudiants d’accéder à des technologies avancées d’automatisation, de simulation numérique et de production intelligente, contribuant ainsi à combler le fossé entre l’apprentissage théorique et les compétences pratiques et professionnelles requises dans le paysage industriel de l’Afrique centrale.

En tant que porte-parole du secteur énergétique africain, la Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) salue cette initiative comme un modèle évolutif pour le développement du potentiel local. En dotant les étudiants de compétences en Industrie 4.0, le laboratoire soutient directement la mission de la Chambre qui consiste à garantir une plus grande création de valeur au niveau national et une participation accrue de la main-d’œuvre à travers la chaîne de valeur énergétique africaine. Cette initiative répond également à la pénurie critique de compétences, permettant aux opérateurs de s’appuyer de plus en plus sur des talents formés localement.

Ce partenariat souligne l’engagement à long terme de Perenco en faveur du développement durable et du renforcement des capacités au Cameroun et au Gabon. Conçu comme une mini-usine, le laboratoire UCAC-ICAM permet aux étudiants de se familiariser avec des outils et des processus industriels réels. Cette approche pratique favorisera la formation d’ingénieurs et de techniciens capables de contribuer à des projets clés, notamment les opérations dans le bassin de Rio del Rey et les développements d’infrastructures tels que le terminal GNL de Cap Lopez au Gabon.

Les étudiants de différentes disciplines bénéficieront d’une immersion pratique dans les technologies de pointe du laboratoire. Les étudiants en génie général s’entraîneront à l’aide de systèmes robotiques et de simulations en réalité virtuelle, tandis que ceux en génie informatique se concentreront sur l’IoT industriel et les technologies intelligentes. Les étudiants en génie des procédés acquerront de l’expérience dans les systèmes de production automatisés, et ceux du programme pétrolier développeront une expertise en systèmes énergétiques et en contrôle des instruments. Les diplômés de l’UCAC-ICAM sont activement recrutés par des entreprises de premier plan opérant à Douala, ce qui reflète la demande croissante de talents formés localement et prêts à intégrer le monde du travail.

« Le développement des compétences locales est fondamental pour bâtir un secteur énergétique compétitif et durable en Afrique », déclare NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de l’AEC. « Ce partenariat démontre comment l’industrie et le monde universitaire peuvent collaborer pour créer une main-d’œuvre hautement qualifiée qui sera le moteur de l’industrialisation et de l’avenir énergétique de l’Afrique. C’est exactement le type d’initiative nécessaire pour garantir que les Africains jouent un rôle de premier plan dans le développement des ressources du continent. »

Le laboratoire de l’UCAC-ICAM représente un investissement stratégique dans l’avenir industriel et énergétique de l’Afrique. En renforçant les capacités locales, en favorisant l’adoption des technologies et en soutenant les opérateurs indépendants, cette initiative s’inscrit dans la vision plus large de l’AEC d’un secteur énergétique africain autosuffisant et compétitif à l’échelle mondiale.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.

Youth Charter Calls for “Commonwealth Youth Legacy” Ahead of Glasgow 2026

Source: APO – Report:

.

The Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.com) has today issued a call for a transformative Commonwealth Youth Legacy Programme to be launched in the lead-up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, urging Commonwealth leaders to seize the opportunity to invest in young people across the Commonwealth.

The call comes as youth delegates from across the Commonwealth gather this week at University of Oxford for the Commonwealth Youth Summit, where discussions are focusing on youth leadership, opportunity and development across the 56 member nations.

Representing more than 2.5 billion people, with young people accounting for over 60% of the population, the Commonwealth is one of the largest youth communities in the world.

The Youth Charter believes the upcoming Glasgow Games present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a lasting social, cultural and economic legacy for young people across the Commonwealth.

A Global Youth Legacy Framework

Through its newly proposed “Commonwealth Youth Legacy Declaration, Glasgow 2026,” the Youth Charter is calling for the establishment of a global network of Community Campuses, designed to support youth development through sport, education, arts and leadership programmes.

The initiative would see the creation of:

  • 50 Community Campuses across Commonwealth nations by 2030
  • 10,000 trained Social Coaches supporting youth development
  • 1 million young people directly engaged through sport, education and cultural programmes
  • 5 million young people indirectly impacted through community outreach and digital engagement

These campuses would operate as local hubs connected through a global Commonwealth youth development network, supporting young people through structured programmes that promote leadership, wellbeing, employment pathways and community cohesion.

Sport for Development and Peace

The Youth Charter’s proposal is grounded in the internationally recognised principles of Sport for Development and Peace, which use sport and cultural activity as tools to address social challenges including youth violence, inequality, poor health outcomes and economic exclusion.

According to the Youth Charter, the Community Campus model provides a practical framework capable of delivering long-term impact locally, nationally and internationally.

Geoff Thompson MBE, Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter, said: “The Commonwealth represents one of the greatest youth opportunities in the world. Glasgow 2026 must become more than a sporting event, it must become a catalyst for lasting social change.

Through the Community Campus model, we can create a Commonwealth-wide movement that empowers young people through sport, culture and education, providing pathways to leadership, employment and community development.

The real legacy of the Commonwealth Games should not be measured in stadiums or medals, but in the lives of young people whose futures we help to transform.”

A Call to Commonwealth Leaders

The Youth Charter is calling upon governments, sporting bodies, educational institutions, corporate partners and civil society organisations across the Commonwealth to collaborate in delivering the proposed legacy programme.

By harnessing the power of sport, education and community engagement, the initiative aims to strengthen social cohesion, promote youth leadership and unlock economic opportunities for young people across Commonwealth nations.

– on behalf of Youth Charter.

Youth Charter @ Social Media:
LinkedIn: @ YouthCharter
Facebook: @ YouthCharter
Instagram: @ youthchartersdp
YouTube: @ YouthCharter
X: @ YOUTHCHARTER

Youth Charter #Hashtags:
#International Olympic Committee
#Olympism #Fight4theStreets
#YoungLivesLostLost
#Call2Action
#LegacyOpportunity4All
#SportDevelopmentPeace
#Empowerthenextgeneration
#CommonwealthSecretariat
#UNSustainableDevelopmentGoals

About Youth Charter:
The Youth Charter is a UK registered charity and UN accredited non-governmental organisation. Launched in 1993 as part of the Manchester 2000 Olympic Bid and the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the Youth Charter has Campaigned and Promoted the role and value of sport, art, culture and digital technology in the lives of disaffected young people from disadvantaged communities nationally and internationally. The Youth Charter has a proven track record in the creation and delivery of social and human development.

La Charte de la jeunesse appelle à un « Héritage jeunesse du Commonwealth » en amont des Jeux de Glasgow 2026

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


La Charte de la jeunesse (www.YouthCharter.com) a lancé aujourd’hui un appel en faveur d’un programme transformateur pour l’héritage jeunesse du Commonwealth, à mettre en œuvre en amont des Jeux du Commonwealth de 2026 à Glasgow. Elle exhorte les dirigeants du Commonwealth à saisir cette opportunité d’investir dans la jeunesse à travers le Commonwealth.

Cet appel intervient alors que des délégués de la jeunesse de tout le Commonwealth se réunissent cette semaine à l’Université d’Oxford pour le Sommet de la jeunesse du Commonwealth. Les discussions portent sur le leadership, les opportunités et le développement des jeunes dans les 56 nations membres.

Représentant plus de 2,5 milliards de personnes, dont plus de 60 % de jeunes, le Commonwealth constitue l’une des plus grandes communautés de jeunes au monde.

La Charte de la jeunesse estime que les prochains Jeux de Glasgow offrent une occasion unique de créer un héritage social, culturel et économique durable pour la jeunesse du Commonwealth.

Un cadre mondial pour l’héritage de la jeunesse

À travers sa nouvelle proposition de « Déclaration du Commonwealth sur l’héritage de la jeunesse, Glasgow 2026 », la Charte de la jeunesse appelle à la création d’un réseau mondial de campus communautaires, conçus pour soutenir le développement des jeunes par le biais du sport, de l’éducation, des arts et de programmes de leadership.

Cette initiative permettrait la création de :

• 50 campus communautaires dans les pays du Commonwealth d’ici 2030

• 10 000 animateurs sociaux formés pour accompagner le développement des jeunes

• 1 million de jeunes participant directement à des programmes sportifs, éducatifs et culturels

• 5 millions de jeunes indirectement touchés par des actions de proximité et un engagement numérique

Ces campus fonctionneraient comme des pôles locaux, connectés au sein d’un réseau mondial de développement de la jeunesse du Commonwealth, et accompagneraient les jeunes grâce à des programmes structurés favorisant le leadership, le bien-être, l’insertion professionnelle et la cohésion sociale.

Le sport au service du développement et de la paix

La proposition de la Charte de la jeunesse s’appuie sur les principes internationalement reconnus du sport au service du développement et de la paix, qui utilisent le sport et les activités culturelles comme outils pour relever les défis sociaux tels que la violence chez les jeunes, les inégalités, les problèmes de santé et l’exclusion économique.

Selon la Charte de la jeunesse, le modèle de campus communautaire offre un cadre pratique capable de produire un impact durable aux niveaux local, national et international.

Geoff Thompson MBE, fondateur et président de la Charte de la jeunesse, a déclaré : « Le Commonwealth représente l’une des plus grandes opportunités pour la jeunesse au monde. Glasgow 2026 doit être plus qu’un simple événement sportif : il doit devenir un catalyseur de changement social durable.

Grâce au modèle de campus communautaire, nous pouvons créer un mouvement à l’échelle du Commonwealth qui autonomise les jeunes par le sport, la culture et l’éducation, en leur offrant des perspectives de leadership, d’emploi et de développement communautaire.

Le véritable héritage des Jeux du Commonwealth ne doit pas se mesurer en stades ou en médailles, mais à la vie des jeunes dont nous contribuons à transformer l’avenir. »

Appel aux dirigeants du Commonwealth

La Charte de la jeunesse invite les gouvernements, les instances sportives, les établissements d’enseignement, les entreprises partenaires et les organisations de la société civile du Commonwealth à collaborer à la mise en œuvre du programme d’héritage proposé.

En s’appuyant sur le pouvoir du sport, de l’éducation et de l’engagement communautaire, cette initiative vise à renforcer la cohésion sociale, à promouvoir le leadership des jeunes et à créer des opportunités économiques pour les jeunes des pays du Commonwealth.

À propos de la Charte de la jeunesse

Fondée en 1993, la Charte de la jeunesse est une organisation caritative internationale basée au Royaume-Uni qui œuvre pour la promotion du sport au service du développement et de la paix, en tant que catalyseur de changement social. Par le biais de son Campus communautaire et de son programme de leadership « Coach social », l’organisation travaille avec les communautés, les gouvernements et les institutions internationales pour soutenir l’engagement, l’éducation et le leadership des jeunes.

Distribué par APO Group pour Youth Charter.

Youth Charter sur les réseaux sociaux :
LinkedIn : @ YouthCharter
Facebook : @ YouthCharter
Instagram : @ youthchartersdp
YouTube : @ YouthCharter
X : @ YOUTHCHARTER

Hashtags de Youth Charter :
#ComitéInternationalOlympique
#Olympisme
#Fight4theStreets
#YoungLivesLost
#Call2Action
#LegacyOpportunity4All
#SportDevelopmentPeace
#Empowerthenextgeneration
#CommonwealthSecretariat
#UNSustainableDevelopmentGoals

À propos Youth Charter :
Youth Charter est une association caritative enregistrée au Royaume-Uni et une organisation non gouvernementale accréditée par l’ONU. Lancée en 1993 dans le cadre de la candidature de Manchester aux Jeux olympiques de 2000 et aux Jeux du Commonwealth de 2002, la Charte de la jeunesse a œuvré pour promouvoir le rôle et l’importance du sport, de l’art, de la culture et des technologies numériques dans la vie des jeunes en difficulté issus de milieux défavorisés, tant au niveau national qu’international. La Charte de la jeunesse a fait ses preuves en matière de création et de mise en œuvre de programmes de développement social et humain.

Magic mushrooms: new African species sheds light on the history of the famous fungus

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Breyten Van der Merwe, PhD student, Stellenbosch University

“Magic mushrooms” are consumed recreationally and for medicinal purposes around the world. These fungi gained their fame as “magic” because they produce chemical compounds (called psilocybin and psilocin) which have psychedelic effects.

The most famous species of these mushrooms, due to their global distribution and ease of cultivation, is Psilocybe cubensis, known primarily from its preferred habitat of dung-laden fields. It was first described from Cuba, but is found throughout the world.

However, there has been a long-standing question about its evolutionary history. Where did it originate, and how did it move around the globe?

We described a new species of magic mushroom in South Africa and Zimbabwe, now named Psilocybe ochraceocentrata, which has allowed us to investigate this question.

Our disciplines are mycology (the study of fungi) and evolutionary biology. In a recent paper, we report on what P. ochraceocentrata may tell us about the possible wild origins of Psilocybe cubensis.

Our findings used sophisticated methods to test whether P. cubensis could have arrived in the Americas along with European colonisation and cattle, a long standing hypothesis proposed by the Mexican mycologist and ethnomycologist Gastón Guzmán. We also investigated other possible scenarios, such as dispersal by environmental factors like wind, or ancient biological means such as large herbivore or insect migration.

Before this study, P. ochraceocentrata was already regularly collected. But it was assumed either to be P. cubensis or P. natalensis, sold under the name “Natal Super Strength”.

We have created a framework of unambiguous identification. Ultimately, our work does not fully resolve the evolutionary history question. But it provides a guide for future study to fully understand where these fungi evolved and how they may have travelled the world.

Knowing the origin of a species is important as it explains how historical, geological and climate factors shape the current distribution of life on Earth. This can be important for understanding how some traits evolved in response to their environment, where a species may become invasive, or possibly where to look for closely related species with traits of interest for medicinal research.

How was the study performed?

Fieldwork conducted over decades in Zimbabwe by researcher Cathy Sharp, and further observations in South Africa, yielded multiple collections of mushrooms similar to P. cubensis. All were associated with the dung of herbivores, including animals native to Africa. Some Psilocybe mushrooms use dung as a food source.

Our work showed that these “cubensis look-a-likes” were superficially similar but differed microscopically and at a molecular level. We chose to investigate this relationship further. Our approach involved:

  • field collection – studying specimens from the wild

  • genomics of museum specimens (museomics) – using molecular techniques on historically important specimens

  • phylogenetics – using genetic data to reconstruct how species are related through common ancestry

  • molecular dating – estimating a general time frame when two species may have diverged from one another

  • ecological niche modelling – predicting where a species can live based on environmental conditions.

This allowed us to study the natural history of P. cubensis and its close relative Psilocybe ochraceocentrata.

We found that P. ochraceocentrata and P. cubensis may have had a common ancestor living about 1.56 million years ago.

This corresponds with the global expansion of grasslands and the distribution of grazing herbivores. The world at this time would have been populated with migrating herbivores. Coprophilic fungi (fungi that grow on animal dung) could have moved with them globally, and then begun to evolve along independent paths.

Origin story

To complement our taxonomic and dating investigations, we wanted to see if we could find a plausible origin of P. cubensis. In previous studies, the lead author had identified that the closest relatives of P. cubensis all had native distributions across the Asian continent. There was very little overlap with species from the Americas.

With the addition of P. ochraceocentrata as the sister taxon (the closest relative), it became far more reasonable to suggest its evolutionary history is centred in Africa or Asia, not the Americas.

To test this, we used publicly available data from the popular public “citizen science” repository for biodiversity monitoring, iNaturalist. We then used mathematical modelling to hypothesise where these organisms might have occurred hundreds of thousands to millions of years ago.

Our work showed a lot of variability across time but partially favoured tropical and subtropical regions where large animals roamed. From this, we proposed a few scenarios of how P. cubensis split from the ancestor it shared with P. ochraceocentrata and became globally dispersed.

One theory is a natural disturbance via unknown animal or environmental vectors. In other words, something may have changed the environment and disrupted the population. For example, dung beetles could have eaten dung that had fungal spores in it, and could have crossed the ocean, taking the fungus with them. Or the spores may have been carried across the ocean on the wind. This is known to have happened with other fungi, such as Podospora.

Another possibility is migration via the Bering land bridge between Eurasia and the Americas. This is how many plants and animals moved between the continents.

Guzmán proposed that P. cubensis likely originated in Africa and was transported to the Americas via cattle transport during the colonisation events of the 1400s and 1500s. Our work suggests that this route was also possible.

The most likely scenario would be multiple introductions, and spore dispersal between populations in the Americas to retain genetic diversity.

What’s missing

Africa is one of the most biodiverse continents, and yet it is the most under-sampled for fungal diversity, due in part to a historical sampling bias of fungi from other parts of the world.

When it comes to Psilocybe, fewer than ten species are officially described from the African continent. Worldwide about 165 species are known.

Further studies are needed across the continent, to describe and map local fungal diversity and improve on current knowledge. Knowing more about the mushrooms that occur in a region tells us more about the ecology of the area, which is key to conservation efforts.

Natural history museums and herbariums were critical for this work and serve as an immeasurable biodiversity resource representing hundreds of years of scientific effort that both scientists and the general public can access.

– Magic mushrooms: new African species sheds light on the history of the famous fungus
– https://theconversation.com/magic-mushrooms-new-african-species-sheds-light-on-the-history-of-the-famous-fungus-279007

Designing cities: should we build from scratch or keep history alive?

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Abeer Elshater, Professor of Urban Morphology, Ain Shams University

Cities are often described as living archives of human memory. Walk through an old neighbourhood in an Islamic city like Fez in Morocco or Cairo in Egypt, and you can see layers of history in its streets and buildings. Traces of the past remain visible in everyday life.

Urban historians sometimes call this a palimpsest – a place where layers of history remain visible, like old writing faintly showing beneath new text.

But in many parts of the world today, cities are being transformed so rapidly that these historical layers are disappearing. Entire neighbourhoods and older areas are demolished and replaced with new districts, infrastructure corridors, or megaprojects. It’s a process that might remind one of French civil servant Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s dramatic demolition and reshaping of Paris in the 1800s.

In Cairo historical Muslim districts have been preserved. Omar Elsharawy/Pexels, CC BY

Today’s speed and scale of development challenge the idea that cities grow slowly over time. Building places from scratch is often described as tabula rasa – a “blank slate” approach in which everything is cleared away and rebuilt as if nothing had existed before.

As scholars of architecture and urban design, we recently researched this tension between erasure and memory in urban design. We argue that urban transformation today cannot be understood simply as a choice between preserving the past or starting anew. Instead, cities are increasingly shaped by a complex interaction between the two.

Understanding this tension matters because it influences not only the identity and heritage of a city but also the social and cultural lives of the people who inhabit it. Our argument is grounded in the importance of understanding history to guide future development based on solutions that have been tested successfully in the past.

The myth of the blank slate

For centuries, planners and philosophers have been fascinated by the idea of the tabula rasa. In practice, however, urban space is never truly empty.

Even after buildings are demolished, the forces shaping the city remain: economic pressures, planning regulations, infrastructure networks, and political agendas. Clearing land often produces what French social theorist Henri Lefebvre described as “abstract space”. These are spaces designed mainly for efficiency, profit, or control – rather than for people’s memories or everyday life.

Napoleon III commissioned Haussmann to demolish overcrowded medieval neighbourhoods to open up and beautify Paris. Camille Pissarro/Museum of Fine Arts of Reim

Modern urban renewal projects have often replaced historic districts with standardised environments such as large housing estates, business districts, or transport infrastructures. These environments can feel disconnected from local identity because the historical context that once gave the place meaning has been removed.

For example, Pruitt‑Igoe in St Louis in the US replaced dense, mixed-use neighbourhoods with high-rise public housing that ignored existing street patterns and community life. In Beirut in Lebanon, post-war reconstruction of the city centre prioritised modern commercial developments over the urban fabric and social networks that had defined it for decades.

Pruitt-Igoe, a massive housing complex completed in 1954, was demolished by 1976, becoming a symbol of urban decay. The Myth of Pruitt-Igoe/Flickr, CC BY

French anthropologist Marc Augé described many of these environments as “non-places”: spaces of transit and consumption, such as airports, highways, and anonymous commercial zones. People pass through without forming lasting attachments.

Cities as layered memory

At the opposite end of the spectrum lies the idea of cities as palimpsest. Historic districts, archaeological remains, street patterns, and even place names all contribute to a layered memory. Urban designers often create designs that draw from the history of a site.

But the palimpsest approach also has limits. Preserving historical layers does not necessarily guarantee meaningful engagement with the past. Sometimes heritage becomes a form of nostalgia –replicating historical styles without understanding their social or cultural significance.

Warsaw’s Old Town, destroyed in the second world war, was rebuilt using paintings and historical evidence. Egor Komarov/Pexels, CC BY

French philosopher Paul Ricoeur helps clarify this by distinguishing between two types of memory: repetition memory and reconstruction memory.

Repetition memory reproduces the past, often superficially. In Sydney, efforts to revitalise Indigenous neighbourhoods between 2005 and 2019 ended up repeating patterns of colonial land displacement.

Meanwhile, in Rio de Janeiro, the push to redevelop the waterfront for the 2014 Football World Cup and 2016 Olympics wiped out Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage. It replaced it with a sleek, futuristic vision of a global city.

More broadly, across cities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, speculative real-estate projects and investment-driven urban developments have turned land into a commodity. This has fuelled gentrification and pushed local communities to the margins.

Reconstruction memory, by contrast, uses fragments of the past to interpret and reinvent them for the present. For example, in Warsaw in Poland after the second world war, the Old Town was rebuilt. Not as an exact replica but as a carefully interpreted reconstruction, using historical paintings, archaeological evidence, and surviving fragments to evoke the city’s pre-war character. At the same time it accommodated modern needs.

Hiroshima preserved ruins of war to create memorial spaces within the Japanese city. Hoi Wai/Pexels, CC BY

Similarly, Hiroshima’s post-1945 reconstruction preserved certain ruins, such as the Genbaku Dome, while redesigning the surrounding urban fabric to create a memorial landscape. This both honours the past and supports a functional, modern city.

Moving beyond preservation vs demolition

Rather than choosing between total preservation and total erasure, urban design needs to recognise the dynamic relationship between memory and transformation.

We propose thinking about cities through what philosophers call a negative dialectic – a relationship in which two opposing forces, erasure and memory, continually reshape one another. We argue that:

  • Urban clearance does not create a neutral blank slate. It produces new forms of space shaped by political and economic power.

  • Historical memory is not a fixed archive. It is continually reconstructed through interpretation and design.

Understanding cities in this way opens the door to new design strategies. Instead of replicating historical forms or ignoring them entirely, designers can work with fragments, traces, and spatial relationships to generate new urban forms.

For example, in the historic centre of Lugano, Switzerland, the traditional public markets that take place on medieval streets and lake‑edge promenades have long shaped the city’s social life and spatial patterns. Today, these markets interact with contemporary cafés, restaurants and pedestrian routes. They knit together old street networks and new uses in a living urban tapestry rather than freezing them as static heritage relics.

This kind of layering, where everyday activities and historical paths inform modern public space design, shows how urban form can evolve by reintegrating historical traces into present-day life. But urban transformation today is largely driven by rapid development, erasure, and less visible forces.

Lugano, Switzerland, developed spaces to integrate city life with the past. Abeer Elshater

This makes it essential to rethink how memory, preservation and design methods work together. It requires a shift in design practice away from established paradigms and toward more flexible, context-sensitive strategies.

Designers have tools to respond to rapidly changing urban environments in ways that remain meaningful to communities. These tools include cognitive mapping, which visualises how people perceive and move through a city; layered analysis, which examines overlapping aspects of urban life; and network thinking, which conceptualises cities as interconnected systems.

Designing cities in a rapidly changing world

The future of cities will likely involve even more rapid transformation. Urban sprawl, technological change, and shifting economic systems are already reshaping urban environments, challenging established planning models. For urban designers, this means learning to work in situations where historical precedents are incomplete or unstable.

Cities react to destruction and change in very different ways. Some take a tabula rasa approach. They wipe out communities and rebuilding from scratch, sometimes referencing the past in form or style. This happened in Warsaw’s Old Town. It was rebuilt to look like the prewar city, even though the original residents were gone. Brasília in Brazil, meanwhile, was planned entirely from scratch, clearing old settlements to create a modernist vision.

Brasília, a planned city built from scratch was declared a World Heritage Site because of its notable modernist design. Arturdiasr/Wikimedia Commons

Others take a more layered, incremental approach, working with what’s already there and letting communities adapt over time.

In Harare’s Dzivarasekwa Extension, for instance, informal settlements were gradually formalised. Housing, services and land tenure were improved, but streets and social networks were preserved. Some cities mix both strategies, like Hiroshima did.

Informal settlements in parts of Harare’s Dzivarasekwa were gradually formalised. Screengrab/YouTube/Lloyd Mhungu Eaglefocus Images

The challenge today is to design urban spaces that acknowledge history while remaining open to new possibilities. For us, the city is neither a blank slate nor a finished story but constantly rewritten through memory and change.

– Designing cities: should we build from scratch or keep history alive?
– https://theconversation.com/designing-cities-should-we-build-from-scratch-or-keep-history-alive-280071