An interdealer market is a specialized trading platform where transactions occur primarily between banks and financial institutions, usually operating over-the-counter (OTC) rather than on a centralized exchange. It functions globally, characterized by tight bid-ask spreads, and involve large transactions.

The foreign exchange interdealer market is one of the better-known such markets and is characterized by large transaction sizes and tight bid-ask spreads. Currency transactions in the interdealer market can either be speculative (initiated with the sole intention of profiting from a currency move) or customer-driven (by an institution’s corporate clients, such as exporters and importers, for example).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the opening of nominations for the 2026 edition of the IATA Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Awards.

The Awards recognize excellence in the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the aviation industry in three categories.

The Inspirational Role Model Award recognizes a woman holding a senior position within the air transport industry who has had substantial impact on diversity and inclusion in aviation through her significant influence at global level.

The High Flyer Award recognizes a female aviation professional under the age of 40 who has demonstrated leadership through concrete action in favor of diversity and inclusion, making a positive impact on the industry.

The Diversity & Inclusion Team Award recognizes an airline that has achieved measurable positive change in diversity and inclusion as a result of the work done in this area. Nominations in this category are open to all IATA member airlines.

“A diverse and inclusive aviation sector is essential to attract the talent needed to support the growth of the industry and enable it to deliver connectivity that underpins trade, tourism, jobs, and economic development. I look forward to seeing another impressive set of nominations reflecting the many efforts across our industry to ensure that aviation can be a rewarding career choice for all. If you have experienced excellence in this area, tell us about it in a nomination and help inspire others,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

 (Press release)

African policymakers, business leaders, and development institutions have renewed calls for visa-free travel across the continent, describing the free movement of people as essential to unlocking Africa’s economic transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The call was reinforced at a High-Level Symposium on Advancing a Visa-Free Africa for Economic Prosperity, co-convened by the African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission on the margins of the 39th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa.

Participants framed mobility as the missing link in Africa’s integration agenda, arguing that while tariffs are falling under AfCFTA, restrictive visa regimes continue to limit trade in services, investment flows, tourism, and labour mobility.

Alex Mubiru, Director General for Eastern Africa at the African Development Bank Group, said that visa-free travel, interoperable digital systems, and integrated markets are practical enablers of enterprise, innovation, and regional value chains to translate policy ambitions into economic activity.

“The evidence is clear. The economics support openness. The human story demands it,” he told participants, urging countries to move from incremental reforms to “transformative change.”

Amma A. Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, called for faster implementation of existing continental frameworks, describing visa openness as a strategic lever for deepening regional markets and enhancing collective responses to economic and humanitarian crises.

 (Press release)

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have signed a $16.61 million grant agreement to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Program (TAAT-III), aimed at scaling climate-resilient food production across the continent.

The agreement, signed on 18 February 2026 in Abuja, bolsters a shared commitment to modernise African agriculture by scaling proven technologies, strengthening seed systems, and expanding partnerships among research institutions, governments, and private sector actors.

Since its launch in 2018, TAAT has become one of Africa’s most effective and transformative platforms for agricultural innovation, reaching nearly 25 million farmers and boosting productivity across major staples. The initiative has expanded climate-resilient agricultural practices across over 35 million hectares.

Working closely with the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR) and national and regional partners, TAAT has increased crop yields as much as 69 percent and generated more than $4 billion in additional agricultural value. Countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria have recorded notable gains in staple crop productivity and resilience to climate shocks.(Press Release)