Battery & Industrial Finance: The AfDB approved a €100m loan for Gotion Power Morocco to build Africa’s first integrated lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery gigafactory in Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, targeting 10 GWh in phase 1 and up to 100 GWh, with 600+ jobs and a 70% local integration goal. Industrial Policy & Trade: Ethiopia used the AU STC meeting in Abidjan to push its 10-year development plan and reforms to boost manufacturing, mining, agriculture, and private-sector-led growth, alongside tax base expansion and exchange-rate reforms. Smart Logistics: DHL highlights how digital customs and single-window style systems are cutting border clearance times and costs, improving visibility and predictability for cross-border cargo. Air Connectivity: Etihad and Air Peace signed an interline deal to sell single tickets across Nigeria, West/Central Africa and the UAE, including onward links to Abidjan and Lagos/Accra. Cocoa Market Watch: Cocoa prices bounced on short-covering and a softer dollar, but supply remains heavy with Ivory Coast shipments up and inventories at a two-year high. Supply-Chain Scrutiny: Swiss chocolatier Lindt faces a US lawsuit alleging child labour in cocoa from Ghana and Ivory Coast, despite its ethical sourcing claims. Agriculture & Seeds: AfricaRice (based in Côte d’Ivoire) is cited for storing rice seed accessions in the Global Seed Vault, supporting long-term genetic preservation. Regional Industrial Push: Tanzania backs faster African industrialisation at the AU STC in Abidjan, calling for better access to finance, capital markets, and trade/investment links.