insert_link Africa Rating agencies and Africa: the absence of people on the ground contributes to bias against the continent – analyst By Misheck Mutize, University of Cape Town Rating agency Fitch recently warned that the rapid spread of the mpox virus in sub-Saharan Africa could add to the fiscal pressures many countries in the region are already experiencing. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have declared the latest outbreak of mpox in Africa a health emergency. An epidemic in the Democratic […] todaySeptember 9, 2024 18
insert_link Local Groundbreaking ceremony marks a milestone in Capricorn Group’s journey of positive change Capricorn Group marked a historic milestone on August 20 with the commencement of construction for a significant new development in Windhoek's central business district. Located next to the Capricorn Group building at the corner of Independence Avenue and Kasino Street, the groundbreaking ceremony represents a transformative journey for the Group’s employees, customers, and the surrounding business community. It also signifies Capricorn Group’s commitment to contributing meaningfully to the […] todayAugust 20, 2024 16
insert_link Environment UN chief calls for cooperation on heat wave impact The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for an urgent and concerted effort to strengthen international cooperation to address extreme heat. Guterres says extreme heat is increasingly tearing through economies, widening inequalities, undermining the Sustainable Development Goals and killing people. todayJuly 30, 2024 16
insert_link Namibia Environment Ministry Namibia reports strong increase in tourist arrivals in 2023 The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has released the Annual Tourist Statistics Report for 2023, highlighting a significant rise in tourist arrivals in Namibia. Notably, the African market emerged as the leading contributor, accounting for 71.8% of total arrivals. During the report's launch, Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta acknowledged ongoing challenges faced by the tourism industry, including global economic conditions, climate change, and security concerns. He emphasized the need to […] todayJuly 15, 2024 63
insert_link South Africa Don’t leave workers behind in green transition: SAfrica president This afternoon, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed the nation's commitment to transitioning towards renewable energy but insisted that communities and workers must not lose out. Africa's most industrialised economy is one of the world's largest greenhouse-gas emitters, relying on coal for 80 percent of electricity generation. The fossil fuel is a bedrock of the economy, employing more than 100,000 people. "We are in reality facing a climate […] todayJuly 15, 2024 12
insert_link Lifestyle Emigration: The hidden catalyst behind the rise of the radical right in Europe’s depopulating regions Smaller towns and villages in Sweden have suffered economically as a result of out-migration. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images By Rafaela Dancygier, Princeton University and David Laitin, Stanford University Earlier this spring, the European Parliament voted to overhaul its immigration policy to more evenly distribute responsibility among member states for managing the arrival of migrants and asylum-seekers. Lurking in the details of the agreement, however, are provisions […] todayJune 7, 2024 13
insert_link Business / Economics NZ Budget 2024: tax cuts and borrowing don’t always fuel inflation – but Nicola Willis has to get the balance right LazingBee/Getty Images By Dennis Wesselbaum, University of Otago On the eve of the first budget from the National-ACT-New Zealand First coalition government, there is ongoing debate over whether borrowing while offering tax cuts could trigger a rise in inflation. Finance minister Nicola Willis has confirmed the budget will introduce “meaningful but modest” tax relief. But what impact will these cuts have on New Zealand’s economy? During the […] todayJune 5, 2024 16
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 28
insert_link South Africa Minimum wage for South African farm workers: study shows 2013 hike helped reduce poverty even though compliance was poor By Ihsaan Bassier, London School of Economics and Political Science and Vimal Ranchhod, University of Cape Town Minimum wage policies are typically aimed at reducing poverty. Yet there is little direct evidence of this effect, especially in developing countries. And none for South Africa. In a recent paper, we consider the income, employment and poverty effects of the largest minimum wage increase South Africa has […] todayMay 17, 2024 15