insert_link Africa Chad’s Mahamat Deby doubles down on authoritarian rule in wake of election victory By Helga Dickow, University of Freiburg The official results of Chad’s presidential elections in May 2024 confirmed the long-term consolidation of power by Mahamat Déby. He came to power after the sudden death of his father, then president Idriss Déby Itno, in April 2021. Chadians are bracing themselves for another round of authoritarian rule. The west, for its part – especially France […] todayJune 4, 2024 13
insert_link Africa Nearly 25% of land in Africa has been damaged – what’s to blame, and what can be done By Mlungele M. Nsikani, South African National Biodiversity Institute Land degradation is a huge issue across the continent of Africa. One of its biggest drivers is biological invasions. This is when invasive species (species that aren’t naturally found in the area) arrive and produce large numbers of offspring which spread over long distances. Mlungele Nsikani, a land restoration specialist and environmental scientist, explains how […] todayJune 4, 2024 17
insert_link Africa Uganda’s LGBTQ Community Faces Over 1000 Cases of Rights Violations in Nine Months A recent report by a pressure group sheds light on the harrowing reality faced by Uganda's sexual minorities, with more than 1000 documented cases of arrests, torture, and forced evictions in the past nine months alone. Reuters reports that since Uganda's parliament initiated discussions on an anti-homosexuality law last year, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community have been increasingly targeted, highlighting a distressing trend of human […] todayJune 4, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Nigerian Unions Strike Over Minimum Wage, Disrupting National Grid and Flights Reuters reports that Nigeria's main labor unions, the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, initiated an indefinite strike on Monday, shutting down the national grid and disrupting flights nationwide. The strike began after negotiations with the government over a new minimum wage failed. This marks the fourth strike since President Bola Tinubu assumed office last year. todayJune 4, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Angola’s Petro de Luanda wins 2024 Basketball Africa League Championship By bird story agency Angola’s Petro de Luanda on Saturday (May 1) clinched the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Championship, becoming the first team outside of North Africa to win the BAL finals after overpowering Libya’s Al Ahly Ly 107-94 in the finals. The Angolans, who are also the 2022 BAL runners-up and one of only two teams to compete in all four BAL seasons, […] todayJune 3, 2024 26
Africa Africa’s green bond market is booming – report By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Green bonds are experiencing robust growth in Africa as governments, corporations, and financial institutions recognize their potential to fund sustainable projects. A new report shows green bond issuances in Africa jumped 125% last year, hitting US$1.4 billion from US$600 million in 2022. The report, ‘Emerging Market Green Bonds’ by the International Finance Corporation and Amundi, a European asset manager […] todayJune 3, 2024 16
insert_link Africa Stevie Wonder’s Ghanaian citizenship reflects long-standing links between African Americans and the continent By Nemata Blyden, University of Virginia There’s a long history of African Americans settling in Ghana or keeping in close contact with the first African country to gain independence. This relationship has most recently been exemplified by musician Stevie Wonder taking up Ghanaian citizenship. Ghana, which gained independence in 1957, became a beacon for African Americans disenchanted with their country’s racial problems. Ghana’s first prime […] todayJune 3, 2024 5
insert_link Africa Malawi faces a food crisis: why plans to avert hunger aren’t realistic and what can be done By Joachim De Weerdt, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Jan Duchoslav, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Malawi is heading towards a severe food crisis later this year. Drought brought on by the El Niño weather pattern has affected the harvest of maize, the staple food grown by nine out of 10 farming households in the country. The government declared a state […] todayJune 3, 2024 21
Africa Europe’s hydrogen rush targets Tunisia, other sunny African countries By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency TE H2, a joint venture that includes involves TotalEnergies (as the major partner), EREN Groupe, and Austria’s leading electricity company, VERBUND, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Republic of Tunisia to explore the viability of this project, according to a press statement. The move is just the latest in a flurry of announcements involving […] todayMay 31, 2024 17
