Global Perspectives
The US is now involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Here are three possible next steps
Early Sunday, US warplanes and submarines struck three of Iran’s nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow, where the Iranians have a uranium enrichment plant buried about 80 metres beneath a mountain
Coronavirus profiteers: Protecting Africa from vulture funds
Some $117 billion of Sub-Saharan African countries’ roughly $150n in long-term debt to private creditors is in the form of bonds, with debtor countries owing the bondholders about $8bn per year. But markets are clearly not confident that these countries will meet their obligations
Will the coronavirus crisis derail the African century?
Even before the virus has made much headway on the continent, African currencies, sovereign debt, and public equities have fallen dramatically, in many cases experiencing losses far greater than in developed or other developing and emerging markets
Covid-19 could break Africa. But it also offers an opportunity to reboot the continent’s economic policies
Africa’s ability to use monetary and fiscal policies to mitigate the pandemic’s economic impact is limited. Whereas governments and central banks around the world have adopted robust and often unprecedented short-run stimulus measures, most African countries lack the policy space and capacity to do so, or are constrained by monetary arrangements that prevent them from implementing national strategies
Digitisation and entrepreneurship will propel African industrialisation, defying naysayers
The dominant narrative is that industrialisation in sub-Saharan African is declining and less relevant. But this ignores growing trends such as new technologies and a vibrant entrepreneurship sceneRussia’s Africa ambitions grow as America, under Trump, steps back
The first Russia-Africa Summit is a clear indication that Russia is stepping up its efforts to increase its influence in Africa, with the deals signed underscoring how Moscow is using strategic investments to gain more traction on the continent
DR Congo Ebola outbreak spreads to Uganda – it should never have happened
That a new outbreak of Ebola virus would happen was a question of when, not if. Yet a situation as dire as the West African outbreak should not repeat itself given that many problems were solved in 2014-16
African Free Trade Area ratification good step forward but more work needed
The African Continental Free Trade Area was ratified on May 30 but its practical implications are not immediate and significant work is required for it to deliver tangible results.