insert_link Africa Kenya floods: as the costs add up pressure mounts on a country in economic crisis By Timothy Njagi Njeru, Egerton University There were early warnings that Kenya’s long rain season – between March and May – was going to bring above-normal rainfall. The extreme intensity of the rain has resulted in devastating floods in many parts of the country. Forty of the country’s 47 counties have been affected. More than 230 people have died and about 40,000 households, so far, have been […] todayMay 10, 2024 9
insert_link Namibia Cyclists promote Trans Kalahari Corridor for development and safety In a bid to promote the Trans Kalahari Corridor, advocate for spatial development initiatives, and promote safety and security along the Trans Kalahari Corridor, 30 cyclists from Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa cycled the Trans Kalahari Corridor. The 1900 km cycle challenge started in Rustenburg, through Botswana, and ended in Walvis Bay. Here is one of the cyclists, Vaino Kali. The TKC Executive Director, representatives of the Erongo Regional Council, […] todayMay 7, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management By Sean Avery, King's College London Floods in Kenya killed at least 169 people between March and April 2024. The most catastrophic of these deaths occurred after a flash flood swept through a rural village killing 42 people. Death and destruction have also occurred in the capital, Nairobi, a stark reminder of the persistent failure to keep abreast of the city’s rapid urbanisation needs. Sean Avery, who […] todayMay 2, 2024 11
insert_link World Development finance: how it works, where it goes, why it’s needed By Abdul Latif Alhassan, University of Cape Town and Bomikazi Zeka, University of Canberra Development finance is the invisible glue that connects public and private financing for projects that have social, economic and environmental outcomes. These include improved infrastructure, better waste management and sanitation, financial inclusion, clean energy and sustainable agriculture. The goal of development finance is to create positive social, economic or environmental outcomes through […] todayApril 17, 2024 22
insert_link World Rebuilding Gaza was seen as a ‘Herculean’ task before Oct. 7; six months of bombing has led to crises that will long outlive the war Palestinians look for survivors after a Israeli strike in Gaza on Oct. 31, 2023. AP Photo/Doaa AlBaz Dima Nazzal, Georgia Institute of Technology Over a decade ago, a United Nations report described the Gaza Strip as virtually unlivable, adding that it would require “Herculean efforts” to change that. Today, after six months of bombardment, mass displacement and siege by Israel, the task of rebuilding Gaza seems practically unimaginable. I’m a […] todayApril 9, 2024 12
insert_link Africa South Africa’s crucial water supplies from Lesotho: what the six-month shutdown means for industry, farming and residents By Ifedotun Aina, University of Cape Town The main water supply to South Africa’s economic hub, greater Johannesburg in the Gauteng province, and to the country’s breadbasket in the Free State, is scheduled to be cut off for six months. Maintenance work on the 37 kilometre Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel is due to begin in October 2024. Ifedotun Victor Aina, a senior researcher at the Water […] todayApril 8, 2024 11
insert_link Business / Economics Private trains to ply South African rail network in commercial revamp By Seth Onyango, bird story agency South Africa is opening its rail network to private train operators in a commercial pivot to revitalise a key component of its transport and logistics infrastructure. It is part of the state-run logistics firm, Transnet SOC Ltd to inject dynamism into the sector, plagued by inefficiencies and maintenance challenges. On Friday, March 15, Transnet published a document laying the groundwork for […] todayMarch 18, 2024 7
insert_link Africa Economic reforms propel Ethiopia to world’s third fastest growing nation brand status By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency Ongoing economic reforms that are also seeing Ethiopia opening up its traditionally closed sectors to private investment are helping to lift the country’s image, globally, according to a new report. UK-based Consultancy, Brand Finance in its Global Soft Power Index 2024 ranked Ethiopia the third fastest-growing nation brand in the world. In the ranking of the most valuable nations, Ethiopia’s brand […] todayMarch 13, 2024 7
insert_link Africa Special Economic Zones are propelling Africa’s green hydrogen drive By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency When Egypt, a prominent player in green hydrogen development in Africa, recently announced seven new upcoming projects worth US$40 billion to be rolled out over the next decade, it noted that the projects would be positioned in one location: a special economic zone (SEZ). The new projects announced by Egypt's cabinet in February, together with ongoing developments not only in […] todayMarch 11, 2024 12
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.
