How events in Zimbabwe expose the false assumptions that inform explanations of developments on this continent THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | There is a widespread assumption that presidents in Africa who rule for long do so out of personal greed for power. This accusation has been made against Robert …
Read More »COMMENT: Research for policy makers
Six barriers that make it difficult for African states to use research for policy COMMENT | WILLEM FOURIE | African policymakers need access to high quality evidence to implement the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) successfully. The SDGs are arguably the most broad-ranging development goals to be ratified by United Nations member …
Read More »Three decades on, stigma still stymies HIV prevention and treatment
Kampala, Uganda | LINDA-GAIL BEKKER | There have been great strides and many important victories in the fight against HIV. Scientific innovations and sustained investment have been the most important weapons in this ongoing battle. Nevertheless the epidemic retains a powerful grip – especially on people in Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, 19.4 …
Read More »Tillerson plans Africa trip for early 2018
Ramstein, Germany | AFP | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met US military officers on Wednesday to prepare for a trip to better coordinate American security and diplomatic strategy in Africa. Tillerson plans to make the trip in the first quarter of 2018, the State Department said, after he dismissed …
Read More »How African governments can grow their pension sectors
Social security funds to tackle key areas in education, IT to accelerate pension growth Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | How can African governments ensure that the working population has some sort of social security at old age? That was the main issue discussed during the two-day East and Central Africa …
Read More »Deutsche Welle launches debate platform for young Africans
BONN, Germany | THE INDEPENDENT | Deutsche Welle has launced a new debate platform for young Africans dubbed “The 77 percent” to encourage conversations about all issues that affect the continent. The multimedia project for young people in Africa that kicked off on December 4, will be presented in six …
Read More »World AIDS chief warns of risk for Africa’s child brides
Abidjan, Ivory Coast | AFP | The head of the UN’s AIDS agency on Monday urged African countries to protect young women and children who are bearing the brunt of the continent’s AIDS epidemic. A sharp rise of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has now slowed, “but now …
Read More »French NGO helps African mums shake off AIDS stigma
Paris, France | AFP | To young African migrant women seeking help at a centre outside Paris, AIDS is much more than a disease. It is social death. The women, some of whom were infected after being raped on the perilous journey across land and sea to Europe, complain …
Read More »Bebe Cool hailed for ‘Push Up’ Coke Studio Africa show
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Bebe Cool has been hailed for last month’s Coke Studio Africa performance on the RnB track titled “Push Up” with Jason Derulo – one of the world’s most successful songwriters and recording artists. Coke Studio Africa is a non-competitive music collaboration show, which seeks to bring …
Read More »Macron, on African tour, vows to release files on Burkina hero
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | AFP | President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday kicked off his maiden African tour by vowing to declassify secret French files on Burkina Faso’s assassinated leader, Thomas Sankara, hailed as a revolutionary hero in many parts of the continent. The threat of terrorism has cast a shadow over …
Read More »