Across product, ops, and CX teams, a new kind of role is taking shape: the person responsible for making AI actually work, day to day. In this roundtable, three people living this shift share what it's really like: Simone Santiago Broad (Yoco), Yelva Espinoza (Zumba Fitness), and Fin's Dave Lynch. You'll hear how they carved out these roles, what the job looks like across industries, the skills they'd hire for, and the challenges they're tackling right now.

Watch the full conversation on demand.

Watch now

Trade is becoming less about free markets and more about national strategy, with governments increasingly using tariffs to pursue economic and political goals.

The United States' decision to impose new tariffs on Nigeria, South Africa and dozens of other economies reflects that shift, as Washington links market access to broader concerns over supply chains and trade practices. For African exporters, the implications go beyond higher duties.

As major economies continue to reshape global trade rules, businesses and governments across the continent may need to rethink where they sell, source and invest.

The United States has introduced a new Section 301 tariff policy targeting 60 economies, including African nations like Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Angola with a 12.5% tariff.

Washington justified the measures by citing trading partners' failures to prevent forced labor in supply chains.

Seventeen economies will receive a lower 10% rate, while Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia get three-year tariff-rate quotas for U.S. textiles and cotton.

Exemptions exist for products critical to U.S. supply chains or domestic availability. The policy also features a severability clause to withstand potential legal challenges. Read more…

🇨🇲 The world's oldest serving head of state has been out of the country for 45 days, now his ruling party has called a rare meeting

Political uncertainty is rising in Cameroon after President Paul Biya remained absent from the country for 45 consecutive days—his longest stay abroad since taking office in 1982.

In response, the ruling party convened a rare leadership meeting, while opposition figures demanded clarity on governance. Biya, 93, has not named a successor, leaving the new vice presidency unfilled. Read more…

🇿🇦 South Africa officially rolls out 'locals first' hiring, rewards compliant employers with fast-track visas

South Africa officially rolled out phase two of its Trusted Employer Scheme, introducing a 'locals first' employment framework.

Participating companies must maintain a workforce composed of at least 60% South African citizens or permanent residents.

In return, compliant businesses operating in priority sectors receive fast-tracked, simplified visa processing for recruiting specialized foreign talent and senior executives. Read more…

🇨🇩 DR Congo orders Western and Asian mining titans to surrender local equity or face sanctions

The Democratic Republic of Congo will enforce a long-delayed requirement mandating foreign mining companies to transfer a 10% equity stake to Congolese nationals by July 31, 2026.

This rule includes a mandatory 5% allocation reserved specifically for company employees. Major international firms, including Glencore and Ivanhoe Mines, must demonstrate compliance or face regulatory sanctions. Read more…

Tax season doesn't have to mean wondering if you have the right forms, second-guessing your deductions, or scrambling to pull everything together before the deadline.

With BELAY’s Tax Prep Checklist, you can start preparing for tax season with confidence.

Download the Free Checklist

🇿🇦 South Africa turns to quiet diplomacy to repair strained Ghana relations after Ramaphosa visit delay

South Africa sent International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola as a special envoy to Ghana to repair ties strained by xenophobic attacks on foreigners. Ghanaian President John Mahama expressed concerns over violence against Africans and destroyed businesses, while Lamola stated South Africa rejects xenophobia.

Ghana has officially asked the African Union to address the issue at its next summit. Read more…

🇺🇸 Trump takes his Africa strategy a step further with first dedicated $500 million critical minerals investment push

The Trump administration unveiled a $500 million U.S.-Africa Strategic Investment Program, shifting focus from traditional aid to private investment.

Administered by the State Department, the program will award up to 10 grants of $5 million to $50 million.

It aims to secure critical mineral supply chains in sub-Saharan Africa while expanding commercial opportunities for U.S. businesses. Read more…

Skip the sales call. Walk through Gladly's interface yourself — the AI suggestions, the unified customer view, the full conversation thread. 15 minutes, no installation, no commitment.

See it yourself

China is home to the world's busiest container port: the Port of Shanghai. Holding the top global spot continuously since 2010 when it overtook Singapore, the port processes over 50 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) of cargo annually—handling roughly a quarter of China’s entire international trade volume.