Countries struggle to keep pace with rapid urbanization [Business Africa]

The number of people living in urban areas in Africa will double to more than 1 billion by 2042, according to World Bank estimates.

The continent is urbanizing at a rate not seen before. By 2040, Africa will be home to nine mega cities hosting more than ten million people.

Luanda, Dar es Salam, Khartoum, Johannesburg and Addis Ababa are some of the cities headed for megacity status, joining Lagos, Kinshasa and Cairo.

Cities are key to driving trade, investment and GDP growth.

But rapid urbanization has created capacity problems for cities, and local governments are struggling to plan, provide infrastructure, public transport and other social services.

Our guest this week is Kamal Alawo Adjayi, the mayor for Golfe 3 district of Lome, Togo's capital.

He joins the show to talk about what governments can do to leverage the power of cities.

Morocco farmers count quake cost

Before the earthquake, farmers in Morocco's Atlas mountains were only used to drought and extreme weather - and had built a degree of resilience. The quake and scale of devastation it brought is something they never anticipated.

US buyers shun Ugandan textiles over gay law

Several Ugandan textile makers are getting their products rejected by buyers in the US, citing the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality act.

There is now worry that the east African country could lose access to the lucrative US market under a duty-free programme.