Electric vehicle batteries, turbines, generators, and other major clean energy technologies can find their roots in Africa, which places this continent at the forefront of sustainable transitions. The minerals used to create green energy technologies have an exponentially increasing value for countries across the globe that are seeking a renewable future. Since Africa holds approximately […]
Tag: Africa
Behind a Veneer of Democracy
What do Ted Cruz, Chinese drones, and Israeli military proxies all have in common? Somaliland. The small breakaway state in northern Somalia has recently been the catalyst for a superpower competition, as Israel became the first country to officially recognize the territory as an independent state. In the United States, government officials such as Ted […]
The Power Outage That’s Breaking a Nation
On 25 September, at dusk, Antananarivo went dark. Mothers lit candles to cook dinner; children did their homework by phone light. By midnight, thousands were in the streets, demanding power — the kind that runs lights and governs nations. Years of neglected infrastructure, mounting debt, and mismanaged fuel supplies had finally caught up with the […]
Might Makes Right: the DRC, Rwanda, and a Shifting World Order
The winding path of international politics has reached a fork of values: enduring liberalism versus an emergent imperialism. Our new path will be chosen in Central Africa, a war-ridden and oft-ignored part of the world, where the Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing a resurgence of violence inflicted by its neighbor Rwanda. In 2012, […]
From Flags to Protests: How Kenya’s Unity Challenges Governance
Tear gas fills the air, crowds chant beneath a sea of fluttering flags, and Nairobi’s streets transform into battlegrounds of resistance. When their government has fueled corruption and promoted ethnic divides, the public employs a unique force in protest: national pride. Unlike the divisive nationalism that fuels xenophobic rhetoric, Kenya’s patriotism demands accountability and change. […]
Echoes of the Earth: A Battle for Sacred Lands
The coast of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, near the Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve, is a picture of calm. Clouds rest on the horizon, and gentle waves turn the sand into a reflection of the blue sky. But this serenity faces a threat—one driven by the demands of a warming climate and an economy rooted in fossil […]
China-West Conflict Making a Move to Africa?
From censoring Winnie the Pooh to attacking ships in the South China Sea with water cannons, China’s anti-Western international agenda has long been centered around political posturing and aggressive ploys for greater regional influence. However, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent actions suggest a new, rather unique, international strategy: spinning a globe and speaking with leaders […]
Controversy Sparks Amid Chinese Military Bases in Africa
In an international world of constant strategic moves, especially when it comes to military assets, there is bound to be conflict between countries. This time, one such conflict happens to be flaring between China and the United States over nothing less than the continent of Africa. A proposed naval base on Africa’s coastline is causing major […]
The Climate Crisis is Worsening Gender Inequality in Education
One in every five children currently not enrolled in school resides in Nigeria. Despite primary education being entirely free and compulsory, over 10.5 million children are currently out of school. Gender plays a significant role in this pattern of educational deprivation. The net attendance rate for young girls in Nigeria is around 47% percent, compared […]
Africa in G20: New Promises for Inclusive Climate Action?
The recent G20 conference, held in India in early September, took an unexpected turn when the African Union (AU), consisting of 55 nations, received an invitation to join the ranks of the world’s most influential economies. As a result, the G20 transformed into the G21, with 19 member nations alongside two political and economic entities […]