June 30, 2023
Cape Verde: Inside the Grogue Wars of Cabo Verde
At what point does a craft spirit no longer qualify as craft? Read more »
June 29, 2023
South Africa: Intermittent Fasting Could Help Protect the Brain From Age-Related Diseases Like Alzheimer's
As the world population has grown older, Alzheimer's disease has become increasingly common. Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent form of dementia. Dementia is a term used to… Read more »
Africa: Debunking Myths - the Real Reasons People Move, and Why Most Migration Happens in Global South
Around the world, borders between countries are getting tougher. Governments are making it more difficult to move, especially for certain groups of vulnerable people. This comes… Read more »
South Africa: National Health Insurance Bill Has Noble Aims but Leaves Too Much Uncertain - It Needs More Work
South Africa's National Health Insurance (NHI) bill has passed the first hurdle towards becoming law, getting the country closer to its vision of achieving universal access to… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's New National Security Bosses - 5 Burning Issues They Need to Focus On
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently appointed new military service chiefs alongside a new national security adviser and inspector general of police. Read more »
Africa: Elections Can Lead to Conflict If They Are Not Free and Fair - What Role Observers Play to Make Sure They Are
At least two dozen presidential, national, regional and local elections are held across the African continent each year. The sometimes fierce electoral competition, a history of… Read more »
South Africa: Lions Are Still Being Farmed in South Africa for Hunters and Tourism - They Shouldn't Be
A man was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 23 June 2023 with five lion carcasses in his luggage. He was about to board a flight to… Read more »
Mozambique: Dung Beetles - Expedition Unearths New Species On Mozambique's Mount Mabu
Mount Mabu in north central Mozambique supports the largest continuous block of rainforest in southern Africa. Read more »
June 28, 2023
Africa: Every 2 Seconds in the World a Baby Is Born Prematurely - Report Identifies Biggest Challenges for Their Survival
Globally, about one baby in 10 is born too soon - that's around one baby every two seconds. A full term pregnancy is around nine months or 37 weeks. Babies born before this mark… Read more »
Africa: Wagner Debacle in Russia Raises Red Flags for African States and How They Manage Their Security
The brief rebellion led against the Kremlin by the head of the Wagner mercenary forces in Russia last week sent shock waves across the world. Read more »
Africa: Pastoralists Are an Asset to the World - and We Have a Lot to Learn From Them
Pastoralists are livestock keepers who are frequently on the move, sometimes across huge distances. Following mobile lifestyles and living far from centres of power, they are often… Read more »
June 27, 2023
Nigeria: Illegal Organ Trade Is More Sophisticated Than One Might Think - Who's Behind It and How It Could Be Controlled
Every now and then the trade in human organs makes national, even international, news. Read more »
Africa: Migrant Numbers Are Rising - Conflict, Climate and Harassment Force Millions to Leave Their Homes
The number of forcibly displaced people increased to 108 million in 2022 and is expected to reach 117 million by the end of 2023, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency… Read more »
Nigeria: Mobile Money System Has Dark Side Even Though It's Convenient - New Study Explores Risks
Financial services play vital roles in supporting economic activities. In Nigeria, though, a significant number of people don't have access to essential banking services. Read more »
Africa: Women Lawyers - Numbers Are Up but Report Sheds Light On Obstacles to Leadership in the Profession
The African continent currently leads the world in the number of women chief justices and presidents of constitutional courts. Several countries across the continent have almost… Read more »
South Africa: Cholera - Vaccines Can Stop the Spread, but the Biggest Deterrent Is Clean Water
South Africa has experienced outbreaks of cholera since January. The worst was in May in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, where nearly 30 people died. Cholera is a bacterial… Read more »
Africa: Covid-19 Hurt Kids' Math Learning More Than Reading and Writing - With the Biggest Setbacks in Fall 2020
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. Read more »
June 26, 2023
Africa: Climate Conferences Have a Huge Trust Deficit - How to Make COP28 Deliver
As countries prepare for COP28 summit scheduled for the end of the year in Dubai, the world has the opportunity to map a transition pathway that addresses over 14 years of unmet… Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: Military Interventions Have Failed to End DRC's Conflict - What's Gone Wrong
For 30 years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered from communal violence, armed conflict and insecurity. Diverse actors have tried to stop it but conflict has… Read more »
Africa: Africa Needs Its Own Credit Rating Agency - Here's How It Could Work
The credit rating industry in Africa is dominated by the three international agencies: Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Together they control an estimated 95% of the credit rating… Read more »
Tanzania: Baby Deaths in Tanzania - Being Born in a City No Longer Increases Their Chances of Survival
Five million children under five years old died in 2021. Of these, nearly half occurred within the first month - a time of high vulnerability. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest… Read more »
June 25, 2023
Africa: Children's Movement Affects Health and Development but Research Is Lacking in Africa - Here's Why
Children's health and development depend on how much time they spend doing physical activity, being sedentary and sleeping. Read more »
Africa: 920 Million People Could Face Conflict Over the World's Rivers By 2050
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project on the Nile River started operating in February 2022. It reinforced tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The three countries rely… Read more »
Africa: Five Questions for African Countries That Want to Build Climate-Resilient Health Systems
Every day seems to bring a new headline about a devastating climate event. African countries aren't spared. A "rain bomb" in South Africa. Flooding in Nigeria. Cyclones battering… Read more »
June 24, 2023
Africa: Wagner Group Mercenaries in Africa - Why There Hasn't Been Any Effective Opposition to Drive Them Out
It is easy to understand what African rulers see in the mercenary group Wagner. Its fighters can be deployed quickly. It brings sophisticated arms with it and can apply force… Read more »