Africa: Appolonia - the Story of an African Kingdom That Resisted the Atlantic Slave Trade

The transatlantic slave trade was a multilayered, highly commercialised global enterprise that lasted from the early 1500s to the mid 1800s. Read more »

Africa: When Global Trade Becomes a Weapon, How Can African Economies Protect Themselves?

"Today, everyone recognises that trade is as much a security issue as an economic one." Read more »

Africa: Global Trade in Wild Birds Is Poorly Monitored - the Risks to Wildlife, Ecosystems and Human Health

Birds have, for centuries, been captured from the wild to be kept in cages - valued for their looks, songs and ability to imitate sounds. Data compiled by the Convention on… Read more »

Africa: Planting Trees to Remove Carbon Can Harm the Environment - or Protect It - Study Highlights Trade-Offs

Global efforts to limit climate change require deep cuts to carbon emissions. However, global emissions are still growing. Currently, we emit roughly 42 billion tonnes of carbon… Read more »

Africa: Africa Needs to Fight for a Better Deal On World Trade Rules - It Should Lead the Charge On These 3 Priorities At This Week's WTO Meeting

African countries face many trade barriers today. Wealthier countries subsidise their farmers, making African agricultural exports less competitive. Global trade rules promise… Read more »

Africa: China in Africa - Investment and Trade Work Well When There's Strong Oversight, and Badly When There Isn't

China's economic footprint in Africa has grown fast over the last two decades. Across the continent, Chinese-backed mines, oilfields, railways and industrial zones have gone from… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria's Crypto Boom Isn't Just About Technology - Trust Plays a Role in the Local Gadget Trade With China

On a humid afternoon in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, a young trader in electronics pulls out his phone and opens Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency trading… Read more »

Africa: The Iran War and Global Trade - Will the Cape Route Become the New Normal?

Events in the Middle East during February and March 2026 again disrupted the flows of shipping trade to the eastern and western spheres of the international system. Read more »

Africa: Africa's Trade Blocs Were Designed to Unite the Continent - Four Reasons They Haven't Delivered

In a rapidly fracturing world, regional integration could be a source of resilience for the African continent. Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria's Open Borders Promised More Trade and Free Movement - but Crossings Are Chaotic and Corrupt

West Africa has pursued one of the world's most ambitious border liberalisation schemes in the past four decades. The Ecowas Free Movement Protocol, signed in 1979, enables… Read more »

Africa: The History of the Zambezi River Is a Tale of Culture, Conquest and Commerce

The Zambezi is Africa's fourth longest river, flowing through six countries: Angola, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where it becomes the largest river to flow… Read more »

Africa: Early Shoppers - How African Consumers Set Global Trade Trends in the 1800s

A dynamic new "consumer class" emerging from Africa is attracting international attention. With the prospect of rising incomes and a young population, international consulting… Read more »

Africa: Agricultural Exports From Africa Are Not Doing Well. Four Ways to Change That

Africa is the world's most endowed continent in agricultural potential, yet it remains a marginal player in global agribusiness. This paradox lies at the heart of Africa's… Read more »

Africa: What Will It Take to Make Africa Food Secure? G20 Group Points to Trade, Resilient Supply Chains and Sustainable Farming

The Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems work stream of the Business 20, a G20 engagement group, has endorsed three principles that it argues will contribute to the building… Read more »

Africa: Africa's Trade Deal With the U.S. Was Left in Limbo - What Exporters Can Do About It

The US-Africa preferential trade deal - in place for a quarter century - expired on 30 September 2025. It's far from certain if the trade deal will be renewed and, if so, how.… Read more »

Africa: Africa's Air Links Are Poor - Can the G20 Push for More Direct Flights to Improve Tourism and Trade?

In Africa, less than one in five continental airline routes are direct. Air connections are decided by factors like trade levels, diplomatic relations, and whether there's enough… Read more »

West Africa: West Africa's Trade Monitoring System Has Collapsed - Why This Is Dangerous for Food Security

A decade ago countries in West Africa set up a unique trade monitoring mechanism. Its purpose was to track intra-regional trade in agricultural products and livestock in the… Read more »

Africa: Trade Is Shaping New Global Power Relations - What This Means for Africa

Over the past two decades, economic strength, trade flows, technological leadership and even consumer demand have been moving steadily from west to east. This transformation is… Read more »

Africa: Food Trade Regimes Harm People and the Planet - How the G20 Can Drive Improvements

African food systems face daunting challenges in the face of climate change. They must ensure fair access to food for residents of Africa's growing cities and create decent jobs… Read more »

West Africa: Discovery of 5,000-Year-Old Farming Society in Morocco Fills a Major Gap in History - North-West Africa Was a Central Player in Trade and Culture

A new discovery of an ancient farming society at Oued Beht in Morocco fills a centuries-old gap in history. It reveals that, 5,000 years ago, the Maghreb (north-west Africa) was… Read more »