Africa Intelligence Brief August 17, 2026: The Week Africa Was Measured
Zambia's count nears its end, South African unemployment hits 33.6%, Congo's Ebola outbreak becomes its deadliest and cocoa runs. The post Africa Intelligence Brief August 17, 2026: The Week Africa Was Measured appeared first on The Rio Times .
Zambia's election count drew to a close, with President-elect Hakainde Hichilema leading by a significant margin of 867,066 votes. Unemployment in South Africa reached a new high of 33.6%, while Nigeria's exports to China surged 80% to $2.3 billion in the first half of 2026. The Democratic Republic of Congo raised $1.25 billion in its first international bond in April, but its Ebola outbreak has now become its deadliest, with 2,325 deaths from 4,945 confirmed cases.
Cocoa prices have risen nearly 40% since May, threatening West African production, though still lower than a year ago.
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