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Africa in Business: coffee, cars and COVID

STORY: Here's what's been making the business headlines in sub-Saharan Africa this week.1. Zimbabwean informal traders are refusing to accept the local dollar fearing it will be worthless when the government's new gold-backed currency enters circulation at the end of April.The collapsing Zimbabwean dollar is being replaced with the so-called Zimbabwe Gold in a bid to bring down inflation.The central bank said it had noted public concerns on the rejection of the Zimdollar by some traders who were opting to transact in U.S. dollars instead.2. WeBuyCars debuted on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on Thursday (April 11) - the second JSE listing of the year - giving the South African second-hand vehicle trader a market capitalization of 8.3 billion rand, or $441 million.The company, which has a market share of 10% to 13% in South Africa, is targeting 23% by 2028.3. Drugmaker Moderna has paused its plan to build a vaccine manufacturing facility in Kenya following a post-pandemic decline in demand for COVID-19 vaccines.The move is a set back for efforts in Africa to cut reliance on vaccine and drug imports from outside the continent.4. Uganda's presidency said on Thursday that the EU has given Africa's biggest coffee exporter a $43 million grant. That's to help it comply with a new EU policy due to come into force at the end of the year, which bars imports of products whose production resulted from deforestation.5. And finally, Senegal's new Energy and Mines Minister has said the government will renegotiate oil, gas and mining contracts if necessary once a promised audit is complete.That audit was announced by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye who defeated the ruling coalition in a landslide election victory last month.Companies involved in the sector include BP and U.S.-listed Kosmo Energy, who are leading the development of Senegal's first LNG project, and Australia's Woodside Energy which holds 82% of the offshore Sangomar oil and gas field.
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