insert_link APO International After years in the cold, signs of renewed investor interest in Africa as 2024 proving bumper year (By Miranda Abraham) [[{"value":"By Miranda Abraham, Head of Loan Syndication at RMB (www.RMB.co.za) in London. Over the past few years, African debt markets have faced significant challenges due to a combination of factors including soft global economic conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic and related supply chain failures. These factors led to a decrease in demand for African debt and a dramatic rise in borrowing costs, placing sovereign borrowing in particular in a difficult position. In […] todayMay 17, 2024 7
insert_link APO International Energy-to-Transport Disparity Heralds Unprecedented Chance to Unlock Growth: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report [[{"value":"Africa has an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate development by aligning its abundant renewable energy resources with solutions for its infrastructure deficiencies. This is a key conclusion from a new annual study on the State of Africa’s Infrastructure initiated by the Africa Finance Corporation (www.AfricaFC.org). The report highlights critical gaps in key sectors including power, transport, logistics, digital communications, and commodity-based value chains. It aims to quantify the extent of Africa's […] todayMay 17, 2024 5
insert_link APO International Uganda’s open-door policy for refugees strained by arrivals from Sudan, DRC, and South Sudan [[{"value":"Uganda is welcoming increasing numbers of Sudanese arrivals – over 33,000 people, 19,000 of whom have arrived in Kampala since the start of 2024 – seeking safety from a war that has raged for more than a year. Most Sudanese arrivals are from Khartoum, and many have a university-level education. Including the Sudanese, on average 2,500 people arrive in Uganda every week, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo […] todayMay 17, 2024 6
insert_link South Africa South Africa’s public service is dysfunctional – the 5 main reasons why By Marcel Nagar, University of Johannesburg A public policy works well if it’s a good policy and if it’s carried out well. Politicians make policy and specialist bureaucrats in the public service carry it out. These appointed officials are supposed to follow a strict professional and ethical code of conduct. Over the past 30 years, South Africa has not had this kind of public service. Public […] todayMay 17, 2024 14
insert_link Africa Chad hepatitis E outbreak: how the dangerous liver disease spreads and how it can be treated By Kolawole Oluseyi Akande, University of Ibadan The World Health Organization recently announced an outbreak of hepatitis E in the eastern Ouaddai province of Chad. Between January and April 2024, 2,093 suspected hepatitis E cases were reported from two health districts. The Conversation Africa asked Kolawole Oluseyi Akande, a consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist, to explain the causes, symptoms, spread and treatment of hepatitis E. What is […] todayMay 17, 2024 20
insert_link Environment Thirsty in paradise: Water crises are a growing problem across the Caribbean islands Public water shortages have left people scrambling for alternatives on many of the islands, including Cuba. Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images By Farah Nibbs, University of Maryland, Baltimore County In the popular imagination, the Caribbean is paradise, an exotic place to escape to. But behind the images of balmy beaches and lush hotel grounds lies a crisis, the likes of which its residents have never experienced. Caribbean […] todayMay 17, 2024 18
insert_link APO International Leaders of African Multilateral and Private Sector Institutions pay a courtesy visit on President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazouani of The Islamic Republic of Mauritania and Chairperson of the African Union [[{"value":"Today, a group of African multilateral institutions including members of the Alliance for African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) paid a courtesy visit on His Excellency, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazouani, the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and Chairperson of the African Union to convey their support and commitment to the AU in implementing transformative initiatives to support Africa’s developmental agenda. The Institutions present included African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Shelter […] todayMay 17, 2024 5
insert_link Africa Angola’s untold history: archive project explores LGBTIQ+ lives and struggles By Caio Simões de Araújo, University of the Western Cape As I write these lines, I mourn the passing of Carlos Fernandes, a leading queer activist and organiser in Angola. Carlos was found dead in his home earlier this year under circumstances that are still being investigated. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people everywhere, there has commonly been a profound connection between […] todayMay 17, 2024 9
insert_link Africa TikTok in Kenya: the government wants to restrict it, but my study shows it can be useful and empowering By Stephen Mutie, Kenyatta University Every day, 750 million people around the world engage with Tiktok – the short-video sharing app. Kenyans are among its top users. According to a Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, 54% of Kenyans sampled used TikTok for general purposes, the highest proportion among the countries in the survey. They also use TikTok to express themselves and connect with others. The app, […] todayMay 17, 2024 24
