Ukraine recap: future of US support for Kyiv in question as Israel conflict reshapes Washington’s priorities: There was some worrying news for Volodymyr Zelensky this week when the US House of Representatives finally elected a new speaker. Mike Johnson, a Republican congressman from Louisiana, has consistently opposed US funding for the Ukrainian war effort. Now …
China’s Belt and Road Initiative turns 10: Xi announces 8 new priorities, continues push for global influence: China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which now includes 44 African countries, got under way 10 years ago. President Xi Jinping launched it in 2013 with a first speech in Kazakhstan and a second one in Indonesia. The initiative …
Four priorities for Nigeria’s newly elected national assembly: Nigeria's Senate president, Godswill Akpabio (middle), takes the oath of office on 13 June 2023. Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images Nigeria’s National Assembly – the 10th since independence – was inaugurated on 13 June 2023. It has two arms: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The …
6 priorities to get Kenya’s curriculum back on track – or risk excluding many children from education: Getty Images Kenya’s education curriculum was reformed in 2017 to improve its quality – but now many Kenyans are calling for change again. Public disillusionment with the competency-based curriculum has forced a government review. Frustrations with the curriculum …
Nigeria’s economy: four priorities the next president must deliver on: New train services like this, in Lagos, are designed to boost economic activities and ease movement of passengers. Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images Nigeria is preparing to elect its next president in February 2023. That person will have a daunting task fixing a near …
Three priorities Africa’s newbie on the World Bank board should focus on: ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images President Cyril Ramaphosa recently appointed a senior South African politician, Ayanda Dlodlo, to serve a two-year term as a member of the World Bank’s 25-person Board of executive directors. She will represent a constituency consisting of Angola, Nigeria …
Donors have shifted their priorities when it comes to HIV: a look at the impact in Uganda: Cuts in donor funding stretch limited resources. ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP via Getty Images Some have dubbed it the collision of two pandemics. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit two years ago, it was said that HIV was “de-prioritised” – in …
Four priorities for Zambia after the 2021 elections: Might the 2021 Zambian elections usher in another period of economic growth? Salim Dawood/AFP via Getty Images Whoever wins Zambia’s 2021 general elections will face two key challenges: reviving the country’s democratic credentials and stimulating the economy. To achieve this, the new administration must have at least …
Climate change: six priorities for pulling carbon out of the air: Dmitry Kovalchuk/Shutterstock To reach net zero emissions by 2050, global emissions must be cut faster and deeper than the world has yet managed. But even then, some hard-to-treat sources of pollution – in aviation, agriculture and cement making – may linger for longer than we …
Sadiq Khan re-elected with weakened majority: what London mayor’s priorities should be for second term: Sadiq Khan’s victory over the Conservatives’ Shaun Bailey was hailed as inevitable months before the polls closed on Thursday. Polls such as the Mile End Institute/YouGov survey of Londoners at the end of March showed a massive 21-point lead for …
Syria, masculinity and how the Assad regime’s priorities have changed during pandemic: When I picture Syria, the first thing I see in my mind’s eye are the statues of the late Syrian president, Hafez al-Assad, in military attire – there’s one in almost every square. But it’s not just statues in the urban spaces, this …
Africa’s scientists set out their COVID-19 research priorities: By setting out the continent's research priorities, scientists can focus better on what needs to be done. Maliutina Anna/Shutterstock In April 2020, about two months after the African continent recorded its first case of COVID-19, the African Academy of Sciences undertook an extensive survey of its members. …
South Africa in the news: As BRICS democratic impulses vanish at an alarming rate, South Africa must rethink its priorities: The victory by Jair Bolsonaro in the recent Brazilian presidential election should provoke a rethink by South Africa’s leadership over its deep commitment to BRICS. And here’s why. On 28 October, Braz…: “South Africa” – …
Budget to reveal how Kenya plans to deliver on ambitious priorities: Low funding for agriculture is a risk to development in Kenya. EPA/Daniel Irungu Kenya’s 2018-19 budget is set to be tabled before Parliament on June 14 in an unusually calm political climate. Economist Timothy Njagi Njeru explains what Kenyans can expect and how the …
South Africa in the news: The five priorities South Africa’s new administration should focus on: Times of political transition bring turmoil and uncertainty. But if the country’s national security is not threatened, minds can focus on what an incoming administration should do to proceed with the business of governance. This should be in the minds …
Ten priorities for getting agriculture moving in Zimbabwe: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Agriculture is taking centre stage in plans for the revival of Zimbabwe’s ailing economy under the new leadership of Emmerson Mnangagwa. Getting agriculture moving in Zimbabwe is a big task. The radical land reform of 2000 has left many outstanding challenges; not least the importance …
Home security low on house move priorities: But the issue of home security comes extremely low on the list, below considerations like whether neighbours would be able to see them sunbathing in the garden. Family-minded Brits are also far more concerned about how close they'll be to mum and dad than how safe they'll be …
Why Africa should be high on Donald Trump’s list of priorities: Amid all the confusion over Donald Trump’s presidency, there are few clues about how his administration will approach the US’s relationship with Africa. The continent was rarely mentioned in the run-up to election day, and so far, Trump’s only foray into African politics has …