NEWS ANALYSIS

    COMMENT | ANDREW PI BESI |  War, we know, is rarely the product of a single cause. More often, it is born of a convergence of political, economic, social, and ideological pressures. At its core, every war is an expression of what scholars call geopolitical contestation. It is a …

As Uganda accelerates its cashless ambitions, there is debate about whether it can truly leave cash behind Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | Uganda’s financial ecosystem has made a tremendous shift towards mobile money transactions — led by platforms like MTN Uganda and Airtel Uganda — which now move trillions …

BEIJING | Xinhua | As China’s annual “two sessions” get underway, “new quality productive forces,” a signature concept proposed by President Xi Jinping, has emerged as a key theme set to shape the nation’s future economic development. While taking part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the Jiangsu …

Rising oil prices, disrupted air travel, and a shift in Sudan’s conflict COVER STORY | IAN KATUSIIME | The US–Israeli war against Iran may be unfolding thousands of kilometres away, but its consequences are already being felt far beyond the Middle East. For East Africa’s fast-growing economies—Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania—the …

The controversy and promise of Uganda’s new health pact with the United States Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | On Dec. 10, 2025, Uganda entered into one of the most consequential health partnerships in its recent history. At the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Kampala, senior officials from Uganda and the …

As the world marks International Women’s Day, women still hold just over 30% of global leadership roles, highlighting the need for faster progress toward equality NEWS ANALYSIS | SYLIVA MULINGE | This month, we join the rest of the world in marking International Women’s Day, a moment to celebrate the …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As the world marks International Women’s Day, conversations around women’s leadership, visibility and economic participation are gaining renewed attention. But beyond policies and programmes, one powerful force continues to shape how society understands women’s contributions: storytelling. From media narratives to corporate communications, the stories …

Africa’s competition chiefs forge united regulatory front NEWS ANALYSIS | JULIUS BUSINGE | Four of Africa’s most influential regional competition authorities have signed a cooperation pact that could reshape how cross-border mergers, consumer protection and market conduct are regulated across 38 countries. The Memorandum of Understanding, signed in Livingstone, Zambia …

BEIJING | Xinhua |  When China’s annual “two sessions” convene in Beijing each spring, the discussions of national lawmakers and political advisors extend well beyond macroeconomic targets and national blueprints. The meetings are also opportunities for them and President Xi Jinping, who is a national lawmaker himself, to drill down …

BEIJING | Xinhua | When China’s national lawmakers and political advisers gather in Beijing for the annual “two sessions,” one document will stand out: a draft 15th Five-Year Plan, the blueprint that will guide the world’s second-largest economy from 2026 to 2030. Five-year plans have long been central to how …