Alongside the severe energy crises currently being experienced by most African countries comes a huge opportunity to direct investments into clean, efficient, renewable energy for the growth of a green economy in Africa.

Dr Tawanda Mushuku, managing director of UAC Foods, is putting in place a firm strategy for creating a world class manufacturing, sales and marketing business in Nigeria.

The role of junior exploration companies is to find something to mine; but there is one such company planning to use the finds it has made to transform into a major mining operation.

Australian bottling company Coca-Cola Amatil has agreed to lend around $46 million to the Australian Beer Company, it has been announced.

The company said the loan is a preparatory step towards its re-entry into the Australian premium beer market and will be used by the Australian Beer Company (part of the Casella Group) to assist with the acquisition and expansion of a state-of-the-art brewery in Griffith, New South Wales, into a 500,000 hectolitre annual capacity brewery. 

US-based ITC Global, a provider of satellite communications to the mining, energy and maritime sectors, has acquired the remaining 10 per cent interest in ITC Guinee.

As a result of the transaction, ITC Global will own 100 per cent of ITC Guinee SARL. 

ITC Global's Guinea office has been fully operational since 2005 through an agency agreement. The location is fully staffed with a technical team that will continue to deliver ITC Global's customised solutions, the company said.

Irish healthcare services provider United Drug has agreed to acquire UK and US clinical services businesses Bilcare Global Clinical Supplies from India-based Bilcare.

The deal, which is worth $61 million, is expected to complete on 31 August 2012. As part of the agreement, Bilcare will retain its clinical supplies business in Asia.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation received an A+ rating from Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) on its 2011 corporate sustainability report, Full Circle, which highlights the company's progress towards its ‘Sustainability 2015’ goals.

GRI is a non-profit organization promoting economic, environmental and social sustainability by providing organizations with a comprehensive sustainability reporting framework which is used by many industries throughout the world.

The African Development Bank has financed a new hospital in Tenkodogo, Burkina Faso.

The new hospital, fully equipped with 200 beds, is valued at an estimated €31 million and was financed entirely by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The project is part of the government’s healthcare support programme in the east-central and northern regions of the country, and will serve people who formerly had to travel up to 160 kilometres for treatment in hospitals in Ouagadougou. 

Canada’s Barrick Gold Corporation has confirmed that it is in discussions with China National Gold Group Corporation regarding the sale of its holding in African Barrick Gold (ABG).

The talks are at a preliminary stage, the company said.