insert_link Africa Walking in African cities can be a miserable experience: Accra study shows planners ignore needs of pedestrians By Seth Asare Okyere, University of Arizona; Daniel Oviedo, UCL; Louis Kusi Frimpong, University of Environment and Sustainable Development ; Matthew Abunyewah, Charles Darwin University, and Stephen Leonard Mensah, University of Memphis African cities aren’t welcoming places for pedestrians. Yet walking is free and, given the shortage of decent public transport, it’s often the only way for people to move around. More than 70% of Africa’s […] todayMay 8, 2024 2
insert_link Africa Zimbabwe’s likely to abolish the death penalty: how it got here and what it means for the continent By Frans Viljoen, University of Pretoria Zimbabwe is likely to abolish capital punishment, following a cabinet decision on 7 February 2024. However, its parliament still has to endorse the move and pass the necessary law enabling the change. The question is when this will happen, especially since it appears that it would require a constitutional amendment. When this happens, Zimbabwe will not only draw a line […] todayMay 8, 2024 1
insert_link Africa Nigeria denies plans for foreign military bases amid regional concerns Nigeria's government says it has no plan to host foreign military bases within its borders. This follows reports that the government was planning to do so after three West African countries asked French and US troops to leave their country. todayMay 7, 2024 8
insert_link Africa East Africa braces for more rains Kenya remains on high alert as Tropical Cyclone Hidaya threatens to dump more torrential rains on East African countries, which recently emerged from three years of historic drought. The heavy rains have caused deadly flooding and landslides that have killed nearly 400 people across the region since March. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Kenya, Stephen Jackson. todayMay 7, 2024 7
insert_link Africa Nairobi, Kenya, Set to Host the 12th Edition of the Africa Fintech Summit from September 4-6, 2024, at the GTC JW Marriott Hotel On September 4-6, 2024, Regulators, Policy Makers, Financial Industry Executives, Fintech Founders, leading innovators, investors, Climate Finance experts and Afroprenours from around the world will gather in Nairobi, Kenya for the 12th edition of the Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS). The summit will take place at the newly opened GTC JW Marriott Hotel in the heart of Nairobi, Kenya. With participants who represent over $4.5bn in private equity and […] todayMay 7, 2024 4
insert_link Africa US-Africa trade deal turns 25 next year: Agoa’s winners, losers and what should come next By Bedassa Tadesse, University of Minnesota Duluth The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) is a landmark piece of trade legislation enacted by the United States in 2000. Its goal is to promote economic growth, development and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa by providing qualifying countries with duty-free access to the US market for over 6,500 products. By eliminating import tariffs and quotas, Agoa aims to […] todayMay 7, 2024 18
insert_link Africa Kenya’s public universities: financing model overhaul fails to address biggest challenge – funding By Ishmael Munene, Northern Arizona University Kenya adopted a new approach to public university funding beginning with the 2023-24 academic year. Rapid student enrolment growth and declining state revenues have triggered the need for the reforms, which will require students to meet a higher proportion of costs. Ishmael Munene, who has a scholarly interest in African higher education, examines the background to these reforms. What are the […] todayMay 7, 2024 7
insert_link Africa Enough With the Veto, Mozambique Vents to the ‘P5’ Security Council Members Ambassador Pedro Comissário of Mozambique leads the UN Security Council in May. He said: The “veto should have never been allowed in cases of flagrant violation of international humanitarian law as we are witnessing in Gaza at this moment.” JOHN PENNEY/PASSBLUE By Damilola Banjo The veto power of the five permanent United Nations Security Council members is the bane of countless failed resolutions across decades. Now, Mozambique’s ambassador […] todayMay 6, 2024 4
insert_link Africa Nigeria’s minimum wage has never protected workers from poverty: here’s why By Stephen Onyeiwu, Allegheny College Wages have become the top issue for Nigeria’s organised labour movements in the past year. Reacting to recent increases in the cost of living, the labour movement has been calling for an upward review of the national minimum wage, currently N30,000 (US$24) a month. The Conversation’s Adejuwon Soyinka asks economics professor Stephen Onyeiwu if Nigeria’s minimum wage truly protects workers from poverty. […] todayMay 6, 2024 6
Paying it forward: Kenyan coastal doctor Bashrahil Mohammed Mafudh has made it his life’s work to care for the most vulnerable in his community, at no cost.
