insert_link Africa Africa’s ageing leaders: succession race in Cameroon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea could destabilise the region By Serge Loungou, Université Omar Bongo (UOB) Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea is 82 and has been in power for 45 years. Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, 79, has held on to power for 40 years. Cameroon’s Paul Biya is 91 and has been president for 42 years. Their extended tenures are largely due to a lack of constitutional limits on presidential age and terms […] todayAugust 23, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Sex sells in these Zimbabwe take-out chicken ads – showing how fragile masculinity is Mambo’s Chicken ads are the focus of a new study. Rustic/Getty Images By Gibson Ncube, Stellenbosch University Around the world, fast food advertising has been called out for sexualising and objectifying women’s bodies. In South Africa in 2019, for example, one fast food chain was castigated by advertising authorities for “the gratuitous use of sexualised women and sexual puns, with no product relevance”. At the same time, UK authorities […] todayAugust 23, 2024 10
insert_link Africa Kenya protests show citizens don’t trust government with their tax money: can Ruto make a meaningful new deal? By Eric Magale, University of Pretoria and Mario Schmidt, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology Each year, the Kenyan government tables a finance bill outlining measures for funding the national budget. In the past, these bills have scarcely attracted public attention. This changed dramatically in 2023, with President William Ruto’s first budget following his election victory the year before. Ruto inherited an economy battling […] todayJuly 17, 2024 25
insert_link World Iran crash: President Raisi reported dead – what that might mean for the country and region Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, is reported by state media to have died following a helicopter crash. Iranian Presidency Office via AP By Eric Lob, Florida International University Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who has been reported dead after the helicopter he was in crashed on May 19, 2024, is a consummate loyalist whose passing will be a severe blow to the country’s conservative leadership. While search and rescue teams […] todayMay 20, 2024 41
insert_link Environment Gum arabic from Africa’s acacia trees in the Sahel is used in hundreds of products: what’s worth knowing By Asgar Ali, University of Nottingham The conflict in Sudan has turned attention to a rarely discussed commodity: gum arabic. This product, the dried sap of certain species of acacia trees, is used mainly as an additive in the soft drinks industry. Sudan accounts for about 70% of global gum arabic exports. Asgar Ali, an expert in sustainable food systems, answers questions about the commodity and its […] todayApril 30, 2024 30
insert_link Business / Economics Financial Resilience: Strategies for Navigating Economic Uncertainty in the New Year By Jo-Ann van Wyk, Client Relationship Consultant, Old Mutual Investment Group, Old Mutual Namibia Stepping into a new year requires more than normal financial planning in the ever-changing landscape of economic challenges. Financial resilience is a systematic strategy to navigating unpredictable market dynamics, geopolitical developments, and unanticipated global events. Building a strong financial foundation begins with the establishment of an emergency fund. Recent worldwide financial crises have highlighted […] todayJanuary 24, 2024 18
insert_link Business / Economics Cooperation only path to protecting humanity from ongoing crises, Commonwealth Secretary-General tells Non-Aligned Movement Summit The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, addressed leaders from 121 Non-Aligned Movement countries, calling for greater cooperation to protect all humanity from overlapping economic, environmental and security challenges. She was speaking at the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in Kampala, Uganda, on 20 January 2024. Addressing leaders, foreign affairs ministers and strategic partners as an official observer, the […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 5
insert_link Business / Economics The Year of Expectations: Converting uncertainty into opportunity By Josef Kefas Sheehama This time of year is always a welcome opportunity to reflect on what is most important. His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob, the President of the Republic of Namibia has declared 2024 as “The Year of Expectations”. As Namibia approaches the general elections in 2024, there is immense pressure on political leaders to tackle these economic challenges and implement policies that will deliver an inclusive […] todayJanuary 11, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Low emissions and economic survival – countries in the global south aren’t getting a fair deal By Olabisi D. Akinkugbe, Dalhousie University In 2015, more than 140 countries signed up to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. For countries in the global south this is a huge task. On the one hand they have committed to low emissions. On the other their economic survival depends on using resources that produce high emissions. International economic law scholar Olabisi D. Akinkugbe unpacks the issue of climate […] todayNovember 30, 2023 6
