Metro

Mauritius leads top 10 happiest nations in Africa

Published

2 years ago

March 22, 2023

Mauritius has been named as the most happiest country in Africa for the year 2023, according to a World Happiness Report, which is a publication of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The tiny Indian Ocean nation with a population of 1.3 million people according to a 2022 census survey, trumped the likes of Nigeria and South Africa to sit on top of the happiness list.

In the report published by the UN on Tuesday, the ranking of the “Happiest Countries” index takes into account “a range of economic, social, and environmental factors, and offers insights into what makes a country a great place to live.”

The report also leveraged on six key factors which include “social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption, to rank the countries.”

This year’s report also indicated that benevolence was added to the indices which grew about 25% higher than it was pre-pandemic.

“Benevolence to others, especially the helping of strangers, which went up dramatically in 2021, stayed high in 2022,” John Helliwell, one of the authors of the World Happiness Report, said in an interview with CNN.

“Global happiness has not taken a hit in the three years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Life evaluations from 2020 to 2022 have been remarkably resilient,” he said.

On the African continent, Mauritius takes the top spot, with a happiness score of 5.902, followed by Algeria with a score of 5.392, while South Africa is ranked in third place, scoring of 5.275.

The other countries on the top 10 list are Congo DRC, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Mozambique.

Here is the list of the top 10 happiest countries in Africa in 2023:

Mauritius – 5.902

Algeria – 5.392

South Africa – 5.275

Democratic Republic of Congo – 5.267

Guinea – 5.072

Ivory Coast – 5.053

Gabon – 5.035

Nigeria – 4.981

Cameroon – 4.973

Mozambique – 4.954

Related Topics:Africa Featured Mauritius World Happiness Report

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Metro

World Bank pledges $3b to support Zambia’s development goals

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The World Bank Group has pledged to avail Zambia with approximately $3 billion to support the country’s development goals under the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2025-2029, with nearly half of the funds already disbursed.

World Bank Country Manager, Achim Fock, who made this known at the CPF launch at the Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka on Wednesday, outlined the global lender’s focus areas, which included enhancing jobs, human capital, and climate resilience.

Fock highlighted that $200 million had been approved to strengthen Zambia’s social protection programs, including the Refugee and Host Community Project.

He also expressed optimism for upcoming approvals, including the Climate and Economic Resilience Financing and the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector.

Zambia’s Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, who also spoke at the event, noted that 2.3 million Zambian households have so far benefited from social protection interventions such as the Cash for Work Programme, emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives amid crises like the recent drought.

Musokotwane further reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting lives during times of crises such as the recent drought.

“More than two thirds of the Zambian population was affected by the drought. It was the government’s view that the first priority was to save lives,” Musokotwane stated.

Metro

Chinese mining giant CNMC set for $1.6 billion investment in Zambia

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Chinese mining giant, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC), has announced the investment of over $1.6 billion in Zambia, following successful discussions with President Hakainde Hichilema at the State House on Tuesday.

CNMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wen Gang, who held the discussions with Hichilema along with the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Han Jing, confirmed the company’s commitment to furthering Zambia’s economic development.

“We are actively investing in critical sectors of Zambia’s economy,” Gang said after the meeting.

He noted that CNMC was currently pumping water from Shaft 28 at Luanshya Copper Mine, where 29.9 million cubic liters have been cleared as part of intensified dewatering efforts, adding that the company plans to inject an additional $200 million to develop a greenfield mine on the Copperbelt.

President Hichilema who welcomed CNMC’s commitment, highlighted the potential economic impact of the firm’s investment which will include job opportunities for Zambians.

“This $1.6billion investment, alongside advanced technology and expansion, will extend operations and create more jobs and opportunities for Zambians, especially in mining contracting and supply,” the President said.

He also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for their shared commitment to fostering growth and cooperation between the two countries.