Cameroon: China-based Yousheng Cement has announced plans for a cement plant at the port of Douala in the Littoral region. According to the Ecofin Agency, the country has five cement plants at present. Construction is due to begin on a separate project at the port of Kribi in mid-late 2021.

Germany/Brazil: Researchers at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Saxony-Anhalt and the University of Pará in Pará have produced a cement alternative with 66% reduced CO₂ emissions. A type of calcium sulphoaluminate cement, it replaces up to 60% of limestone in clinker with overburden from bauxite mining. Researchers demonstrated that the resulting product conforms to all standards for commercial Ordinary Portland Cement. The results of the research have been published in ‘Sustainable Materials and Technologies.’

Uzbekistan: The government has reduced cement producers’ income tax rate to 15% from 1 October 2021. The Uzbekistan Daily newspaper has reported that producers previously paid 20%.The government also halved the tax on limestone to US$2.11/t from US$4.22/t.

Pakistan: The Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) has asked the government to appoint a commission to investigate rises in cement prices. The Pakistan Observer newspaper has reported that ABAD chair Fayyaz Ilyas alleged that producers had colluded as a cartel. He said that price rises have prevented the construction sector from being able to realise the aims of the Naya Pakistan housing scheme.