insert_link South Africa Corruption and clean energy in South Africa: economic model shows trust in government is linked to takeup of renewables By Roula Inglesi-Lotz, University of Pretoria South Africa relies heavily on energy from coal-fired power stations, which emit large quantities of carbon. But making the transition to greater use of renewable energies, such as solar, is being hampered by a number of factors. Chief among them is corruption, which is affecting the quality of institutions. In a recent paper I set out how perceptions of corruption in […] todayFebruary 19, 2024 5
insert_link Africa Slums and guns in Bamako: what’s driving the illegal weapon trade in Mali’s capital city By Oluwole Ojewale, Institute for Security Studies As west Africa urbanises, many cities have become interconnected through trade, travel and technology, and crime has increased in complexity and scope. The proliferation of arms in west African cities, especially in the aftermath of conflicts in Libya (2011) and Mali (2012), has added to these challenges in Bamako, Mali’s capital. In 2018, the Small Arms Survey estimated that roughly […] todayFebruary 19, 2024 8
insert_link Health / Medical HIV among older South Africans in rural areas: big study shows there’s a problem that’s being neglected By Jen Manne-Goehler, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Francesc Xavier Gomez-Olive Casas, University of the Witwatersrand; Julia Rohr, Harvard University; Kathleen Kahn, University of the Witwatersrand; Nomsa Mahlalela, University of the Witwatersrand, and Till Bärnighausen, University of Heidelberg South Africa continues to have a high prevalence of HIV among all age groups. About 8.2 million people or 13.7% of the population live with HIV, one […] todayFebruary 19, 2024 17
insert_link Africa Oromia makes up a third of Ethiopia’s landmass and is key to its fortunes: expert unpacks its significance By Bizuneh Yimenu, University of Birmingham Ethiopia’s largest and most populous region, Oromia, has been in the news following reports of a rise in kidnappings for ransom. The region is no stranger to war and strife. Its people have long fought against political marginalisation. But the region is more than just the site of conflict. We asked Bizuneh Yimenu, who’s researched the region for over a decade […] todayFebruary 19, 2024 28
insert_link Africa Ghana’s new vehicle tax aims to tackle pollution – expert unpacks how it’ll work and suggests reforms By Theophilus Acheampong, University of Aberdeen Ghana has introduced an annual carbon levy on vehicles and industrial emissions. It’s only the third African country to introduce an explicit carbon tax, after South Africa and Mauritius. The tax is intended to address harm associated with vehicle emissions. But it has prompted a pushback from various citizens, civic and consumer groups. The Conversation Africa’s Godfred Akoto Boafo spoke […] todayFebruary 16, 2024 14
insert_link World Israeli siege has placed Gazans at risk of starvation − prewar policies made them vulnerable in the first place Displaced Gazan children wait in line to receive food. Belal Khaled/Anadolu via Getty Images Yara M. Asi, University of Central Florida The stories of hunger emerging from war-ravaged Gaza are stark: People resorting to grinding barely edible cattle feed to make flour; desperate residents eating grass; reports of cats being hunted for food. The numbers involved are just as despairing. The world’s major authority on food insecurity, the IPC Famine […] todayFebruary 16, 2024 12
insert_link Environment Rhinos can’t sweat, making them vulnerable to overheating: global warming could wipe them out in southern Africa By Timothy Randhir, UMass Amherst Southern Africa is home to 22,137 of the world’s 23,432 white and black African rhinos. But they’re facing grave threats because of a warming planet. Now, the first study of how climate change affects rhinos in southern Africa has found that they will cease to exist in the region’s national parks by 2085 if the world takes the worst-case scenario climate change […] todayFebruary 16, 2024 14
insert_link Opinion Pieces Israel-Egypt peace treaty has stood the test of time over 45 years: expert explains its significance By Ofir Winter, Tel Aviv University The peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, signed in 1979 to end hostilities and normalise relations between them, turns 45 on 26 March. The Conversation Africa asked Ofir Winter, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, who studies Egyptian politics and the Arab-Israeli conflict, for his insights on the peace deal and the key challenging moments since it […] todayFebruary 16, 2024 16
insert_link Opinion Pieces Rafah: A Point of No Return By Mona Ali Khalil The catastrophe in Rafah has begun. In the 131 terrible days since the horrible Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, we have watched 1.8 million Palestinian civilians pushed from the north of Gaza to the south and even further south until they reached Rafah at the very end of the strip. Adults and children alike have been bombed and shot relentlessly in […] todayFebruary 16, 2024 20
