The Digital Silk Road and Africa’s Connectivity Future
Africa is a continent still waiting to not only have access to the internet but to the knowledge, tools, and institutional capacity to shape its own technological future.
Tag: Africa
The View from Africa Before and After the U.S. Elections—Q&A with Mark Deets
Trump’s re-election brought massive changes to many aspects of the United States and the world. What led to Trump regaining the presidency? What will the reverberations look like in West Africa? Omar Auf sat with historian Mark Deets to find out
Pursuing Unity: Pan-Africanism in Practice
History has proven that a completely politically unified Africa may be impossible to achieve; instead, integration should be pursued with a more limited goal of facilitating faster economic, social, and political progress
Editor’s Note
In 2011, the influential weekly Economist published a cover titled Africa Rising highlighting the great potential the continent had for economic growth, sustainability, and peace and security.
A year later, Time magazine published a similar cover with the same title praising the continent’s promise to become the next global economic powerhouse, with a particular nod to sub-Saharan Africa.
But numerous challenges persist. Despite being independent for the latter half of the 20th century, the pangs of colonialism thinking remain entrenched in many African nations. » Read more about: Editor’s Note »
Human Rights and Constitutionalism in Africa: Progress has been Achieved, but More is Needed
The institutional human rights and constitutionalist framework in Africa has been constantly evolving through the Organization of African Unity’s history and transformation into the African Union. In the face of contemporary challenges in the form of coups, unconstitutional changes in government, and more, African policymakers must focus on grounding their policy within the normative framework of the Union
Toward Anti-racism Education in the African Context
What would African educational systems look like without colonial influence? Answering such questions may guide educators in the various communities of the African continent to imagine something re-centered around indigenous experiences. Anti-racism is an important part of that answer
Hope in a New Generation—Mark Deets on Senegal’s New President: CR Amplified ep. 1
Last month, 44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal was sworn in as the youngest president on the African continent following a dramatic election win. Diomaye, a former tax inspector who never held public office, was elected directly from the first round, the first of any opposition candidate in Senegal’s history. Diomaye’s election follows over a month of protests and at least three deaths as a result of the former President, Mackey Sall postponing the elections. » Read more about: Hope in a New Generation—Mark Deets on Senegal’s New President: CR Amplified ep. 1 »
From Borno to Aswan: Where Development, Climate and Conflict are Interlinked
The Aswan Forum, hosted on June 21-22 in Cairo, discussed topics related to African peace and development, including climate change, confronting terrorism, regional security, youth and women empowerment, and more.
Working Towards Sustainable Peace and Development Through Cooperation: An Interview with Ahmed Abdel-Latif
The Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding is a unique Egyptian organization with a mandate for peace through capacity building, convening and research. Director-General Ahmed Abdel-Latif leads the center through its many activities, including serving as the Aswan Forum’s Secretariat.
Climate Change and the Global South: The Case of Africa
Should climate change continue unaddressed, it is estimated that of the additional 30–170 million people who are likely to suffer from malnutrition or under-nutrition globally in the coming years, three-quarters will be in Africa.
African Podcasting: Challenges and Chances
While podcasting in Africa faces many challenges, including prohibitive data consumption costs and the digital divide, it offers the amplification of regional perspectives and audience expansion in return.
More than a Monolith
Home to 54 unique countries, ancient civilizations and cultures, Africa is much more than meets the world’s eye.
A Pandemic of Vaccine and Technology Hoarding: Unmasking Global Inequality and Hypocrisy
Intellectual property waivers are key to dismantling global vaccine apartheid and providing equitable vaccination to Africa and other continents.
Africa is Climbing the Prosperity Ladder but Some Rungs are Broken
Africa is a continent with six of the world’s ten fastest-growing economies, but can it overcome its major challenges?
The Long Road to African Tourism Recovery
The Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the tourism industry in 2020, but this year a slow vaccine rollout and new variants means it will take a while to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
Millions of People Continue to be Forcibly Displaced in Africa
Even though forced displacement is a global crisis, it is no more obvious than in Africa.
In Malawi, the battle to save mangoes
Malawi, like other African fruit producers, is drawing on local and global resources to combat a pest which threatens vital fruit exports.
A New Water Paradigm for Sub-Saharan Africa
To make clean water and sanitation truly accessible to local communities across the continent, African institutions must take the lead in understanding the specific challenges and opportunities they face.
Africa and the United States: Reengaging with Africa’s Prosperity in Mind
With China as a dominant foreign power in Africa, the only option left for United States to engage with the continent is to follow its priorities: namely, prioritizing African youth.
An Expert’s Guide to Decentralization
African countries can leverage decentralization to strengthen government structures, but that is no easy task, according to Paul Smoke, as it is highly sensitive to the local context and requires a deep understanding of the intergovernmental dynamics and challenges involved.
Addressing the Global Health Crisis of Stunting in Times of COVID-19
Stunting can be prevented by using technology to improve agriculture and strong governmental support.
African Societies Plan for a Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery
Plans share a common thread of infrastructure spending and intra-African trade
How to Deal with COVID-19 in Africa
Strengthening the capacity, the data networks, and the community response to win against COVID-19.
How Will the Coronavirus Crisis Affect Africa’s Developmental Focus?
Mitigating the effects of the coronavirus in Africa and implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area go hand-in-hand.
COVID-19 Impact on Africa Elections
The pandemic is forcing African states to choose between holding elections on time and postponing them for safety. The risks run both ways.
Neither East Nor West
As the Covid-19 response of powerful states like the U.S. and China falters, it is also failing regions on the margins of great power politics, like Africa. It is time weaker states take a long look at their dependence on the world’s juggernauts for their own security.
Stopping the Spread: A Citizen’s Engagement
Africa is no stranger to recent outbreaks and therefore has a foundation to combat the coronavirus, but more must be done to ensure the informal economy is included in a comprehensive strategy to beat COVID-19.
Trash Sorters: Entrepreneurs in Africa
Africa is on the cusp of a community-led socioeconomic transformation, but this cannot happen without fully integrating the informal economic dynamos of young trash sorters
Seeds of Gulf-Africa Agribusiness
When Gulf nations face food, security, and water scarcity issues, one response is to seek lucrative agricultural investments in fertile African lands. Yet, while such deals can bring benefits to the countries involved, there are also sizeable risks
The Global South’s New Migration
The issue of migration cannot, and should not be handled bilaterally between the Global North and Global South. What is needed instead is a focus on South-South relations to improve the lives of all people involved in migration.
From Africa to Israel to Nowhere
Thousands of undocumented Africans in Israel present the Jewish-majority state with an existential question: how open is Israel—originally a safe haven for displaced Jews—to newly-arrived non-Jewish migrants?
Fight Against Polio
The disease can be eradicated by 2018—with sufficient funds, commitment, and resolve.