Month: June 2025

 From Accra to outlying areas, Ghana’s innovation hubs are showing what’s possible when local knowledge meets international support. This is how they’re scaling solutions, building networks, and shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs.  After the pandemic, many of Ghana’s innovation hubs faced significant challenges. Several hubs struggled to deliver services, support startups effectively, or sustain their own business models. Without intervention, the broader ecosystem risked fragmentation. ‘We were coming off the back […]

 Reflection on the fiftieth anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is the focus of a conference opening on Tuesday 24th of June 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria. Initiated by the Amandla Institute and the ECOWAS Commission, this two-day meeting is a valuable opportunity for participants to discuss the achievements, challenges and prospects of the West African organisation. It is also an opportunity to take stock of the progress […]

 “My daughter is three years old. She suffers from body pain. We have taken her to the hospital three times already, but haven’t received the right treatment,” says Chamisa John. Chamisa is one of 45,000 displaced persons residing in the United Nations Protection of Civilians (PoC) site adjacent to the UN Mission in South Sudan’s (UNMISS) base. “When I heard that peacekeepers from Rwanda are running a free medical camp, […]

 In Kinshasa, women from across the country are raising their voices to demand an end to the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. Their plea took the form of a detailed advocacy note, officially submitted to Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner. The document is the result of a collective effort by women’s associations and human rights groups. Drafted after nine consultation sessions held between February and April 2025, with support from […]

 In Aru, a new round of peace talks is building on earlier efforts to bring stability to Ituri province. The dialogue, known as “Aru 2”, brings together authorities, armed groups, local leaders, and civil society to reinforce the process launched in 2023. That previous initiative, supported by MONUSCO, led to the signing of a peace protocol by several armed groups including CODECO, ZAIRE, FRPI, FPIC, TCHINI YA TUNA, and MAPI […]

 The National Assembly, during its hybrid plenary sitting yesterday, approved the Public Sector Pension and Related Payments Bill. The Bill, introduced by the Minister of Finance as part of the 2025 Budget, proposes that public sector-related pension, post-retirement medical and other benefits in terms of statutory and collective agreement obligations become direct charges against the National Revenue Fund (NRF). This means the Bill will make it easier for the government […]

 Comoros' economy shows signs of recovery, surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels. Growth rose from 3 percent in 2023 to 3.4 percent in 2024, driven by household consumption supported by a 5.4 percent increase in remittances and strong services sector performance. Average annual inflation declined from 8.5 to 5.0 percent in 2024, reflecting the stabilization of global commodity prices and lower inflation in the Eurozone. Growth is projected to reach 4 percent by 2027, […]