Omer Faruk Naimm, from Spain:

In the first six months (H1) of 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) startups in Europe attracted a record $23 billion in investment. This represents a 130% increase compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, AI-based startups captured 55% of the total venture capital invested across Europe.

These findings were highlighted in the 2026 European AI Economy Report, jointly published by HumanX and Crunchbase on Wednesday.
According to the report, while European AI startups secured $10 billion in the first half of 2025, that figure surged to $23 billion in the corresponding period of 2026. Analysts note that this growth is not merely a sign of increased funding, but proof that Europe is bolstering its position in the global AI race.

Stefan Weitz, co-founder and CEO of HumanX, stated that Europe is no longer falling behind in the global competition for artificial intelligence. Instead, significant investments are flowing into areas where Europe has traditionally been strong, such as robotics, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and defense technology.
The report reveals that 73% of the total funding went to just 38 startups, each raising at least $100 million or more. In the first six months of 2026 alone, six European AI startups reached billion-dollar valuations. These include autonomous technology firm Wayve, Alphabet-backed drug discovery company Isomorphic Labs, robotics enterprise Neura Robotics, and AI research lab Advanced Machine Intelligence, co-founded by renowned AI researcher Yann LeCun.

The United Kingdom holds the top spot in attracting AI investment in Europe. The country alone secured $12 billion, accounting for 53% of Europe’s total AI funding. Germany followed with $3.5 billion (15%), and France ranked third with $2.9 billion (12%).

Meanwhile, the Netherlands is rapidly emerging as a major hub for AI innovation. CuspAI, based in the Netherlands and the UK, raised $450 million in Series B funding. Additionally, Netherlands-based General Intuition secured $320 million in its Series A round.

However, the report also highlights some discouraging disparities, particularly regarding female entrepreneurs. Since 2023, AI startups with at least one female co-founder participated in 18% of total deals, but received only 10% of total funding. Analysts attribute this gap to large-scale funding remaining largely concentrated in male-led ventures.

Crunchbase’s AI-powered forecasts suggest that investment momentum in Europe’s AI sector will continue in the coming days. Among private AI startups participating in HumanX Amsterdam, 48% are likely to raise new funding, 11% could be acquired, and 7% are on track for an initial public offering (IPO).

Furthermore, based on an analysis of over 1,000 European AI startups that have raised at least $10 million since 2022, Crunchbase predicts that over the next 12 months, 59% will secure fresh funding, 18% could become acquisition targets, and 5% are likely to go public.

Jene Tierney, Senior Research Lead at Crunchbase, noted that combining Europe’s long-standing strengths in science, industry, and engineering with artificial intelligence is the region’s greatest competitive advantage. However, to achieve long-term success, Europe must more effectively connect four key areas: capital, computing infrastructure, skilled talent, and market access.

According to AI analysts, this trend of record investment proves that Europe is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse not just in consuming AI technology, but in innovation, research, and attracting global capital. Although challenges remain such as funding concentration among a few players and gender disparities in investment, Europe’s AI economy is undeniably entering a new era.

L’article Record $23 Billion Invested in European AI Startups, UK Leads the Pack est apparu en premier sur HORIZON NEWS.

The partnership was sealed during a two-day official visit to Gabon by the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, H.E. Wamkele Mene, who held high-level engagements with the country’s leadership, private sector representatives, and regional institutions.

The Secretary-General was received by the President of the Republic of Gabon, H.E. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, as well as the Vice-President of the Government, H.E. Hermann Immongault, the Vice-President of the Republic, H.E. Hugues Alexandre Barro Chambrier, and the Minister of Trade, SMEs and Youth Entrepreneurship, H.E. Zenaba Gninga Channing.

During the meetings, President Oligui Nguema reaffirmed Gabon’s commitment to implementing the AfCFTA Agreement and positioning the country as a leading contributor to Africa’s economic integration agenda. In response, H.E. Mene welcomed Gabon’s determination to play a greater role in continental trade and industrial development.

A key highlight of the visit was a high-level public-private dialogue that brought together Gabonese businesses and AfCFTA experts to discuss practical opportunities and challenges in trading under the Agreement. Discussions focused on competitiveness, access to finance, logistics, and understanding Rules of Origin requirements.

The AfCFTA Secretariat showcased a range of tools designed to support businesses, including the Rules of Origin Manual, the AfCFTA e-Tariff Book, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund. Emphasis was placed on creating opportunities for women and youth-led enterprises to expand across African markets.

Mr. Mene highlighted the strategic potential of Gabon’s Nkok Special Economic Zone, especially in timber processing and pharmaceuticals, noting that value-added products from Gabon can access markets across West, North, East, and Southern Africa under the AfCFTA framework.

Minister Zenaba Gninga Channing called on Gabonese businesses to move beyond raw material exports and become active participants in intra-African trade by producing and exporting higher-value goods.

The visit also produced a significant trade facilitation initiative with discussions advancing plans for a one-stop border post at Kye-Ossi, located at the junction of Gabon, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. The proposed border facility will integrate digital trade facilitation tools, reduce barriers to trade, and improve regional connectivity. The Secretary-General welcomed a cooperation agreement signed by the Chambers of Commerce of the three countries and encouraged their participation in the AfCFTA Private Sector Dialogue Platform.

At the regional level, the Secretary-General met with the leadership of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), where both institutions reaffirmed the critical role of Regional Economic Communities as building blocks of the AfCFTA. ECCAS noted that all its Member States have ratified the AfCFTA Agreement and its Protocols, and both parties agreed to develop a joint action plan to accelerate implementation across Central Africa.

The visit concluded with a shared commitment to move from policy ambition to practical implementation, positioning Gabon to leverage the AfCFTA as a platform for industrialisation, value addition, job creation, and expanded trade across the African continent.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

L’article AfCFTA AND GABON SEAL LANDMARK IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERSHIP TO MOVE FROM POTENTIAL TO TRADE est apparu en premier sur HORIZON NEWS.

The officials are in the middle of a five-day « Automotive Seminar Week » that kicked off Monday in Accra, the opening leg of an eight-week Executive Short Course (ESC) built specifically for senior African Union government officials looking to take advantage of Africa’s automotive production opportunities. It’s the second time the course has been ran and this round focusing on procurement and trade administration.

The programme is organised by the the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in collaboration with the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM), and the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank). The goal is to give officials a deep enough understanding of automotive production and value-chain dynamics to drive industrialisation forward.

The full eight-week programme runs from June 15 to August 7 in three stages. After the Accra seminar wraps Friday, participants face roughly seven weeks of an online Automotive Policy and Strategy Assignment under academic guidance, before regrouping for a « learning consolidation and best practice » study week in Durban, South Africa, from August 3 to 7.

Delivering the course is the Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS), with the sessions led by Justin Barnes and Mbongeni Ndlovu. Officials who make it through all eight weeks walk away with a TWIMS-accredited Course Completion Certificate. Afreximbank is bankrolling the programme as main sponsor, with carmakers Toyota, Isuzu and Volkswagen also throwing in support.

Monday’s opening session laid the groundwork: how the global automotive value chain is actually structured, the political economy behind who builds and buys the world’s cars, and the disruptive forces.

Currently, the Sub-Saharan market relies heavily on foreign cast-offs, with used imports comprising 83 percent of all light-duty vehicle registrations. Africa is effectively acting as a global clearinghouse for aging fleets, predominantly from Japan. Despite boasting the world’s fastest-growing vehicle market, hitting 1.29 million units sold in 2025, the continent remains a nascent producer compared to global giants like China and the United States, producing only a fraction of the 96.4 million vehicles manufactured globally last year.

The rigorous programme kicked off with an Automotive Seminar Week in Accra, focusing on the micro, meso, and macro-economic factors required for competitive production. Crucially, the training goes beyond theory. Officials will be embarking on a six-week online syndicate assignment to draft targeted automotive policy, trade, and regulatory frameworks for selected national or regional economies.

This collaborative initiative, supported by industry heavyweights including Toyota, Isuzu, and Volkswagen, will culminate in August in Durban, South Africa. During the final « Learning Consolidation and Best Practice Week, » officials will undergo a deep immersion, touring advanced assembly plants, component manufacturers, and technology centres, before presenting their newly developed policy recommendations.

As global mobility transforms, this AfCFTA initiative signals a clear mandate: Africa is racing to ensure it is no longer just a destination for the world’s aging vehicles, but a competitive driver in the future of global automotive production.

L’article AFRICAN LEADERS CHART A NEW COURSE FOR A CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE REVOLUTION est apparu en premier sur HORIZON NEWS.

How are West and North Africa implementing their AfCFTA strategies?

From May 21 to 22, 2026, in Lomé, representatives from ministries of trade, regional economic communities, the private sector, chambers of commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as several technical and institutional partners from West and North Africa will participate in a high-level regional workshop dedicated to AfCFTA implementation strategies.

This initiative is led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its African Trade Policy Center and its subregional offices for West and North Africa, with financial support from the Open Society Foundations.

According to the ECA, the 50 African countries that have ratified the AfCFTA agreement are at different stages of its implementation. Furthermore, many of them are still facing challenges in harmonizing their national laws and regulations with AfCFTA requirements, reforming and strengthening institutional coordination

The purpose of this meeting is to assess progress made in implementing the AfCFTA, share experiences and best practices among member states, and identify remaining obstacles in order to define priority actions to accelerate the continent’s trade integration.

According to Ngone Diop, Director of the ECA Subregional Office for West Africa, despite existing constraints and challenges, West African countries have made remarkable efforts to implement their AfCFTA strategies.

“Ratifying the AfCFTA is not enough; we must prioritize its effective implementation. The ECA has supported 40 countries in developing their national strategies in West Africa, North Africa, and elsewhere. While constraints remain, successes have also been achieved regarding barriers and corridors, borders, tariffs, and non-tariff and trade barriers,” explained the director of the ECA Subregional Office for West Africa.

Against a backdrop marked by multidimensional crises and the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on global supply chains, discussions will also focus on the strategic role of the AfCFTA in strengthening Africa’s economic resilience and reducing the continent’s external dependence.

In Togo, the ECA contributed to the development of the national strategy for implementing the AfCFTA in 2019 and again in 2025, which serves as a framework for government policies.

Speaking on behalf of Togo’s Minister of Economy and Monitoring, Mensah Koffi welcomed the progress made in developing the new 2026–2030 national strategy.

“Our ambition is to make the AfCFTA a lever for structural transformation by genuinely strengthening our productive capacities, supporting innovation, and promoting better integration into regional value chains,” he stated.

The work is expected to result in common guidelines and strategic measures aimed at accelerating African economic integration through a more efficient, integrated, and resilient continental market.

According to ECA simulations, the full implementation of the AfCFTA could lead to a 45% increase in intra-African trade by 2045, representing nearly $276 billion in additional trade. The agri-food, manufacturing, and services sectors are among the main expected beneficiaries.

L’article Togo: The ECA and its partners review strategies for implementing the AfCFTA in West and North Africa est apparu en premier sur HORIZON NEWS.

Total assets and contingencies rose by 21% to US$48.5 billion, up from US$40.1 billion as at 31 December 2024, underscoring the Bank’s consistent growth trajectory.

Net loans and advances for the Group closed the year at US$33.5 billion (FY’2024: US$29.0 billion), an increase of 16%, supported by continued disbursements across the continent and the Caribbean through various product offerings. The Group funded strategic priorities areas such as manufacturing, infrastructure, food security and climate adaptation.

The Group’s non-performing loan (NPL) ratio remained stable at 2.43% (FY’2024: 2.33%), demonstrating consistent portfolio quality.

The Group’s liquidity position remained robust, with cash and cash equivalents at US$6.0 billion (FY’2024: US$4.6 billion). Liquid assets accounted for 14% of total assets, above the Bank’s strategic minimum level of 10%. Shareholders’ funds grew by 17% to US$8.4 billion as at 31 December 2025, driven by net income of US$1.2 billion, and new equity inflows of US$299.4 million raised under the General Capital Increase II.

Gross Income increased by 6.06% reaching US$3.5 billion in FY’2025 from US$3.3 billion achieved in FY’2024.

Operating expenses increased to US$459.2 million (FY’2024: US$367.7 million), reflecting strategic staff expansion, and inflationary pressures with the Group maintained strong cost efficiency resulting in a cost-to-income ratio of 21% (FY’2024: 18%) well below the strategic ceiling of 30%.

Contrary to concerns raised by some rating agencies during the year, the Bank accessed international bond markets by successfully raising over US$800 million from Japan and China, courtesy of the Samurai and Panda bonds in 2025. This demonstrated the Group’s fund-raising capabilities and the solid nature of the Bank’s DNA as a pan-African multilateral financial institution committed to ensuring that Africa’s full and sustainable self-reliance remain firm.

Net income increased by 19% to US$1.2 billion in 2025, up from US$973.5 million in the prior year. These results were achieved through the expanded delivery of tailored financial and advisory solutions that supported trade, fostered industrialisation and enhanced economic self-reliance.

Highlights of the results for Afreximbank Group are shown below:

Mr. Denys Denya, Afreximbank’s Senior Executive Vice President, commented:

“Despite continuing global geopolitical challenges and disruptions caused by some rating actions, the Group delivered excellent financial performance in 2025, a fitting tribute to a decade of consequential leadership under Professor Oramah, with total assets and contingencies reaching $49 billion. Pleasingly, the Group is way ahead on most of it targets in delivery on its 6^th Strategic plan that ends on 31 December 2026. With recently established subsidiaries such as FEDA and AfrexInsure becoming profitable, Net income grew by 19% to stand at US$1.2 billion, underpinned by a strong capital base of US$8.4 billion. The Group’s balance sheet is at its strongest level ever, with liquidity levels and capitalisation well above target and good asset quality. These results are a testament to the unwavering execution by the Group’s hard working human capital. We entered 2026 financial year with significant momentum, ready to scale the Group’s impact, accelerate trade integration and value addition across Global Africa, and deliver greater value to our shareholders.”

L’article Afreximbank delivers strong FY2025 results; with total assets and contingencies base of US$48.5 billion est apparu en premier sur HORIZON NEWS.