Africa GCC Live Powered by Trace+: Where the Gulf Meets Africa, the Voice of Africa Took Center Stage

The event took place under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

The Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress 2026 has concluded a landmark edition, and Trace, Africa's leading Afro-Urban media and entertainment group, is proud to have stood at its center as official media and content partner alongside the Africa-GCC Council.

Over three days at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the Africa Pavilion welcomed representatives from close to 10 African countries and a broad spectrum of stakeholders, private-sector companies, major corporations, Chambers of Commerce, public institutions and official government delegations, including Ministers and Heads of State. Attendance and engagement across several sectors exceeded last year's levels, confirming Africa's growing relevance within the AIM Congress ecosystem.

TRACE IN THE ROOM: THE PAVILION STUDIO

At the heart of the Pavilion stood the Trace Pavilion Studio, a dedicated, branded content studio capturing investor conversations, founder stories and policy dialogues as they unfolded, and turning them into content for Africa's youth and diaspora. Across the three days, the Studio hosted a series of fireside chats and interviews with prominent government leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and cultural figures, generating content distributed live and on-demand through Trace+, television, YouTube and Trace's social channels across Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

The content generated through the Studio contributed significantly to the visibility and narrative of the Africa Pavilion, establishing important media anchors for future editions and reinforcing a stronger, more coordinated Africa communication strategy, demonstrating the value of pairing institutional engagement with professional media and content creation to carry the Africa agenda beyond the physical boundaries of the Congress.

«What we captured in that studio over three days will outlast the Congress itself. We watched investors, founders and a Queen Consort sit down in the same room, and we made sure Africa's youth were watching too. That's the partnership we set out to build, and it's only the start.» Olivier Laouchez, Co-founder & CEO Trace

«There's an African proverb that says: wisdom is like a baobab tree, no single person can embrace it alone. The baobab is one of Africa's most enduring symbols; it has survived across generations because its roots are deep, its trunk is strong, and its branches reach outward in every direction. As we opened the first Africa Pavilion in the history of AIM Congress, we were planting such a tree, its roots African, its environment global, its branches extending towards the Gulf and the world. And its fruits must be projects, investments, partnerships and shared prosperity.» William Kwende, Board Director, Equiline Finance & Co-Chair, Africa-GCC Council

A LANDMARK AFRICA–UAE MOMENT

Among the most significant moments of the Congress was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UAE Minister of Tolerance and the Royal House of the Warri Kingdom, in the presence of His Royal Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, and Her Majesty Olori Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom, who travelled from Nigeria specifically for the occasion. Trace's Pavilion Studio captured the moment as part of its ongoing coverage of the Royal Session, "Unlocking Strategic Partnerships Through Monarchy for Africa's Development: The Atuwatse III Leadership Case Study," co-curated by Their Royal Majesties in partnership with the Africa-GCC Council and "We Elevate Africa."

The ceremony stood as a powerful expression of Africa-UAE relations extending beyond traditional economic cooperation, bringing together heritage, culture, leadership, tolerance and international partnership, and was widely regarded as one of the highlights of the entire Congress.

A HIGH-CALIBRE PROGRAMME

The Africa Stage delivered a comprehensive three-day programme structured around 14 curated sessions, opened by H.E. Abdullah Almusaibeeh, President of the Board of Directors of BADEA, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, as keynote speaker, who travelled from Saudi Arabia specifically to participate, in a strong endorsement of the platform's strategic relevance.

The programme spanned critical minerals, media and narrative sovereignty, entrepreneurship and innovation, art and heritage, tourism, investment corridors, healthcare, traditional leadership, development finance, industrialisation, financial ecosystems, AI literacy and women's economic participation, with Trace's Pavilion Studio on the ground throughout, translating each conversation into content for its Africa-wide audience.

The Congress also recognized the continent's next generation, with the presentation of the Africa Stage Ambassador for Youth and Entrepreneurship Recognition Award, celebrating leadership and initiatives empowering young African entrepreneurs and changemakers, a theme close to Trace's own mission through its "Advice to Youth" content series produced throughout the event.

The programme closed with "The People Behind the Vision," a special fireside chat bringing together the Founders, Co-Chairs and Strategic Partners of the Africa-GCC Council, captured live by the Trace Pavilion Studio.

«Dubai showed what happens when institutional credibility meets media reach. Ten African nations, a royal partnership sealed on camera, fourteen sessions of real dialogue, and every moment carried to an audience most conference rooms never touch. That is the model we now take into our next chapter.» Dr. M'Zée Fula Ngenge, Co-Founder of Africa-GCC Council

LOOKING AHEAD

The Africa Pavilion has evolved into more than an exhibition presence, a strategic platform connecting governments, institutions, businesses, investors, financial institutions, media and international partners, and generating a series of protocols, strategic agreements and MOUs facilitated and supported by the Africa GCC Council network.

Trace and the Africa-GCC Council are now building on this momentum, extending the partnership into a year-round content platform, with monthly and quarterly programming, including documentaries and investor spotlights, designed to sustain the Africa-GCC economic corridor narrative long after the Congress and to reach Trace's audience of 350 million people across the continent and its diaspora.

As the Africa-GCC Council puts it, the objective for future editions is clear: to move from visibility to influence, from dialogue to partnerships, and from partnerships to measurable impact.

Coming soon on Trace+, a behind-the-scenes documentary on the Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress 2026, taking audiences inside the Trace Studio and the Africa-GCC Council's work throughout the Congress. The documentary will be available exclusively on the Trace+ app.

Kanye West's Chicago Homecoming Concert

Ye ye

Since launching the Ye Live Concert Tour with a series of shows in Los Angeles back in April, Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) has been on a globe-trotting run. He's taken his career-spanning setlist and massive Earth-inspired stage set all around the world, from Istanbul, Turkey to Almaty, Kazakhstan. On Thursday (Sept. 3), he returned home for a pair of shows at Soldier Field in Chicago.

I was in attendance for the second LA show. And as someone who also saw the second night of his SoFi shows—when Lauryn Hill came out to sing "Mystery of Iniquity," the sample used on "All Falls Down"—I can honestly say Ye's homecoming shows cleared that experience. This is, in my experience, one of the great rap shows of the last 10 years, guest starring a collection of rappers that helped make Ye Ye.

During a set that went for over three hours and included nearly 60 songs, Ye pulled out all the stops—considerably one upping the performance he put on night before. Forget "old Kanye" vs. "New Kanye", this was a show for all the generations of fans, balancing stars from his College Dropout and Late Registration days—like GLC and Common—with the stars from his most recent Bully era, like Don Toliver.

 

By Antonio Johri 

Full story at Yahoo News 

Tino Ngorima: The South African Actress Taking on the U.S. Stage and Screen

New York, NY — Tino Ngorima, a talented young actress from Kyalami, South Africa, is rapidly establishing herself in the U.S. film and theatre scene with an impressive

lineup of projects. At just 24 years old, she has recently completed filming her leading role in “Timeless Woman,” set for release later this year. This role challenged

her to embody the perspective of an African American woman navigating the complexities of an interracial relationship in contemporary America.

 

Tino’s ascent in the industry has been both steady and prolific. She honed her craft at two of the world’s leading acting schools: NYU Tisch in New York, where she

earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting in 2025, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, where she completed a full semester in 2024.

 

During her time at NYU Tisch, Tino showcased her talent as Love in “Everybody” at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre in New York and played Casca in “Julius Caesar” at the

GBS Theatre in London. Shortly thereafter, she was cast in an industry script reading at the Bush Theatre. Following her graduation, Tino made her Off-Broadway debut

as Lady Capulet/Lady Montague in an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, which sold out at a New York theatre. She has since landed another role in an Off-Broadway play

titled Fairies, which she will reprise in 2027 due to popular demand.

 

Beyond acting, Tino is a trained dancer, having studied dance since her early years at an all-girls school in Johannesburg. She is also passionate about producing and is

currently in pre-production for her first short film, “Lover girl.” This project, in which she will star as the lead, explores female friendships and the complexities of

romantic relationships. “I am drawn to stories about women, particularly universal narratives that resonate across cultures,” she shares.

 

Tino credits her parents for instilling a love for academics and a deep appreciation for pop culture. “They encouraged me to watch a variety of adult comedies, which

helped me develop a sense of humour and connect with audiences. I am particularly grateful to my South African school teacher who took a chance on me by offering me

a leading role in a school production. That experience solidified my desire to pursue acting as a career,” she reflects.

 

Tino dreams of working on cross-continental projects and envisions more films being made in South Africa with local talent collaborating with international crews. “South

Africa is home to some of the best talent in the world, and I want to contribute to the recognition and celebration of African storytellers,” she concludes.

Currently, Tino is engaged in a stage reading of the play “Good Mothers,” a piece being workshopped for an eventual premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival

in Scotland.

Dolly Parton, beloved country music icon, dies at 80 after 'brief battle with cancer'

Dolly Parton speaks in Nashville in 2024.
(Terry Wyatt/WireImage via Getty Images)

Parton's death comes months after she announced that she was canceling her Las Vegas residency due to "health challenges."

Dolly Parton, the beloved singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist, has died, her family said on Tuesday. She was 80 years old.

In a statement issued to People, Parton's rep shared that the Queen of Country had "bravely [faced] a brief battle with cancer." She was "surrounded by loved ones" while receiving medical care at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.

By Kaitlin Reilly

Full story at Yahoo News

Angelique Kidjo to become first African musician to get Hollywood star

Five-time Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo is set to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, becoming the first African musician and first Black African to be recognized on the famed boulevard.

Born in Benin, the artist has built an international career spanning more than 40 years and was once dubbed "Africa's premier diva" by Time magazine.

"Angelique Kidjo's extraordinary artistry and global influence have inspired audiences across generations and continents," Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said in a news release.

By AFP

Full story at IOL

Sunday Afolabi, Papa Ajasco and 8 Nigerian stars who have opened up about financial struggles

Sunday Afolabi, Papa Ajasco, Patience Ozokwor and other Nigerian veteran stars have opened up about financial struggles after years in the spotlight.

Being on TV used to be such a big deal that it automatically signalled relevance and wealth.

For years, characters and names like Papa Ajasco and Patience Ozorkwo became household favourites, and their work entertained generations.

But behind the fame, some of Nigeria’s veteran entertainers have faced financial insecurity after decades in the spotlight.

By Gloria Adesanya

Full story at Pulse NG