“This fossil fuel crisis will happen again and again,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. “Sunlight does not depend on narrow and vulnerable shipping straits. Wind blows without massive taxpayer-funded naval escorts.” LONDON | GAO WENCHENG – Xinhua | As Tuesday marks two months since the United …
Read More »Africa has the money… now it must learn how to use it
Institutional investors are driving much of the growth in domestic capital. Pension and insurance assets have now surpassed $1 trillion for the first time Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | Africa’s domestic capital has grown to a point where it now exceeds external financing flows, marking a shift in how …
Read More »Africa’s climate bet: Can a new $750m fund make infrastructure withstand a hotter future?
The continent loses between 2% and 5% of its gross domestic product each year due to climate-related shocks Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A new push to finance climate-resilient infrastructure in Africa has gained momentum, after a major development bank committed funding to a continent-wide investment vehicle. The Development …
Read More »From imports to integration: East Africa’s refinery gamble in Tanga
The push for a regional refinery comes at a time when East Africa remains almost entirely dependent on imported refined petroleum products, largely sourced from the Middle East Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | East African countries are in discussions to build a joint oil refinery at Tanzania’s port city …
Read More »Uganda’s sovereignty push meets the newsroom
The bill imposes up to 20 years in prison for routine journalism, including publishing information deemed to “weaken or damage the economic system” or promoting unapproved foreign policies NEWS ANALYSIS | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda is set to pass a foreign agents bill, whose sweeping provisions could be used to imprison …
Read More »Protection of Sovereignty Bill
Regulating influence, unsettling markets COVER STORY | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s proposed foreign agents legislation is rapidly becoming more than a legal reform. It is evolving into a stress test of the country’s political economy, its regulatory philosophy and its relationship with global capital. Framed by government as …
Read More »Uganda’s labour market expands, but skills gap and informality persist
A new survey shows rising enrolment and modest formal job growth, yet highlights a widening mismatch between education and employment as most Ugandans remain in the informal sector Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Uganda’s labour market is expanding and becoming more formalised, but structural weaknesses in skills …
Read More »East Africa’s ports are busy, but stuck on the wrong side of global trade
Despite rapid growth and heavy investment, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam remain gateway ports rather than global hubs, as geography keeps East Africa just outside the main currents of world shipping NEWS ANALYSIS | IAN KATUSIIME | Geography, economists often say, is destiny. For East Africa, it may also …
Read More »Why the White House media dinner shooting reflects more than just violence
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting on Saturday is the latest episode in a documented surge of politically motivated violence targeting officials across the spectrum. WASHINGTON | Xinhua | A gunman armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives stormed a security checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on …
Read More »Why ‘China Shock 2.0’ narrative is a distortion of China’s growth
NEWS ANALYSIS | Xinhua | Recently, some Western media have been peddling the “China Shock 2.0” narrative, portraying China’s ascent in high-tech sectors as a new wave of disruption to the global economy. This catchphrase risks overlooking realities. China’s high-quality, competitively priced products have long been a key factor in …
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