BUSINESS
SENEGAL: Rokhaya Diop gives birth to “Urbidolls”, the black and mixed dolls.
Rokhaya Diop is Franco-Senegalese. After studying accounting, she immediately entered the workforce. She is currently working in a large social protection group as a sales assistant. She has always been passionate about entrepreneurship. Today she has just launched “Urbidolls”, the black and mixed dolls. Ze-Africanews.com went to meet him.
Ze-Africanews.com: You have just created two dark and mixed black dolls “Urbidolls”, why black and mixed dolls?
Rokhaya Diop: For my birthday my niece Binta, asked me a doll Snow Queen. I told myself, no, this year it will be a black doll. It was a journey of the fighter to find one, which corresponded to my criteria. The idea began to germinate to create a doll that would meet my criteria while pleasing my niece. Binta, inspired me to create the black and mestizo dolls that resemble her.
What are the characteristics of “Urbidolls” dolls?
Our dolls have the peculiarity of having frizzy curly hair like little black girls, voluminous hair really silky.
Why the name “Urbidolls”?
First, I love Egypt, its history and everything related to it. “Urbi” in Egyptian means “princess”, it is a nod to all our African princesses.
Do you think that it has a lack of representation through toys, for black girls and mixed in ages to play with dolls?
Go for a ride at Toys r’us or in toy stores, you will find that black dolls are rare when they are not found, and the variety leaves frankly to be desired. This is also true for other toys. There, too, there is a lack of blatant diversity even in literary books, where it is extremely difficult to find a black hero. We are in 2017, and we have to search for black dolls. That’s Aberrant!
What is the added value your doll brings to the market of already existing black and mestizo dolls?
Again the “hair!”. Indeed, black dolls, there are some but they have all smooth hair. The fact that our dolls have curly or curly hair allows the child to identify himself.
“Playing with a black or mestizo doll allows the child to value self-esteem, to exteriorize his daily life but also to identify himself with this toy. “
What is the message you want to get through the Urbidolls dolls?
That “Black is Beautiful”. That a little girl should not be ashamed of her hair, nor of her skin color. Self-esteem and trust also go hand in hand. A mom sent me a mail that said “Finally a doll that has the same hair as her. Since the time I was looking for one. “If it can help the little black or mixed girls to blossom and to represent themselves, I am happy.
To create a black doll, this is far from being trivial, is there a certain militancy that is hidden behind? And in what way is this militant action going to change something in a French society where girls make their very early difference to discrimination?
Reason more, to help the girls in this case black, to value themselves and to have confidence in it. Enjoying other colors and their cultural diversity is very important in today’s society. Yes, it can be said that it is a militant act, if on a small scale, I can help change things through the eyes of children.
Playing with these black and mixed dolls will bring what to the black and mixed girls or others?
Playing with a black or mestizo doll allows the child to value self-esteem, to exteriorize his daily life but also to identify himself with this unreal toy that will surely become his best friend.
Are these dolls exclusively reserved for black and mixed-race girls or are they also intended for white girls, to make them discover other dolls than traditional ones?
They are for all the little girls of the world! Black and mixed-race children need dolls that resemble them and children of other colors can have black dolls to represent their playmates.
For now, you have two dolls on the market, do you plan to expand the range?
Absolutely. Our range will expand in the coming weeks, months to include other shades of skin, hair or dress design. In addition, we have a lot of requests for black barbies with frizzy curly hair. We think about it and “why not”?
The presidency of Togo has announced that the project to exploit the manganese mine of Nayega, located in the Savanes region in the north of the country, is entering its operational phase. According to a statement issued on June 10, 2025, production is scheduled to start at the end of June 2025, with an initial volume of 4,000 tons per month, which should gradually double to reach 8,000 tons per month.
Keras Resources is the technical partner retained by the Togolese government to carry out this project. A statement from Keras, relayed by the presidency, details that the company signed a cooperation agreement in 2023 with the Togolese state, owner of the mine through the Togolese Manganese Company (STM). Under the terms of this agreement, Keras will receive a remuneration of 1.5% of the mine’s gross revenue for three years for its advisory services, as well as 6% for brokering services.
The reserves of the Nayega mine are estimated at 8.5 million tonnes, which would allow exploitation over a period of 11 years. The authorities of Lomé welcome the expected contribution of the mine to the national budget, a benefit that should be strengthened by the rigorous management of the generated revenues, as indicated by our colleagues from Agence Afrique.
With a growing global demand for manganese, particularly in steel alloys and renewable energy technologies, Togo is seeking to assert itself as an essential supplier of this strategic ore. This positioning could play a catalytic role for the national economy, always according to information from the Africa Agency.
Source: senego / Photo credit: Republicoftogo.com
The Gabonese government decided on Friday to ban the import of broilers in order to promote national poultry production and ensure food security, according to the final communiqué of the council of ministers chaired by the head of state, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.
The ban will be effective from 1 January 2027, thus leaving a period of 18 months (1 year and 6 months) for actors in the sector to structure themselves, invest and prepare to meet national demand.
“This measure aims to restore domestic poultry production, boost agricultural investment, reduce food dependency and strengthen the trade balance,” the government hopes. Gabon also hopes to foster “the emergence of a network of rural jobs, the rise in quality of products consumed locally and the creation of an economic ecosystem around this sector”.
The government has also planned a detailed operational plan to be presented within 45 days by the ministers responsible for economy and trade.
Libreville dreams of reducing its dependence on poultry imports and strengthening the country’s food security. In addition, the promotion of local poultry farming should have a positive impact on rural areas, generating jobs and contributing to the development of a vibrant poultry ecosystem.
Imported frozen chicken is the most consumed food in Gabon because of its low price and packaging ready to be thrown into a pot.
“The star of the freezer” is how Gabonese people refer to frozen chicken because it is often the only food, if not the default food, found in the freezers of Gabonese families.
Frozen chicken and meat are generally imported from Latin America and Europe. Their massive presence on the market has destroyed local production.
The Council of Ministers also announced a ban on exporting crude manganese from 1 January 2029. The objective is to promote local industrial development, create jobs and maximize the value of this resource, of which Gabon is the world’s second largest producer.
Sources: gabonactu.com
Mauritania is in the spotlight. On Thursday, May 29, 2025, Sidi Ould Tah was elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the annual meeting of the institution held in Abidjan. He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, in office since 2015.
His election came after a hard-fought duel against Samuel Munzele Maimbo of Zambia, who finished in second place. The election, which was marked by major geopolitical and economic issues, took place against a background of high expectations regarding governance and development financing on the continent.
The Senegalese Amadou Hott, long perceived as one of the favorites, finishes in third place, followed by the South African Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala. Despite significant diplomatic support, notably for Hott, the momentum in favour of Sidi Ould Tah has prevailed in the last few rounds.
Former minister and general manager of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Sidi Ould Tah is recognized for his experience and strategic vision. He will officially take office on 1 September 2025.
Photo credit: Forbes Africa
