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Articles by African Arbitrators
Somalia: We Set Out to Uncover the Hidden Costs of US Airstrikes in Somalia
analysis By Bryce W. Reeder The US is an active participant in the war against Al-Shabaab in Somalia, efforts that have increased in the last few years under the Trump Administration. The strategy involves using airstrikes to assist Somali ground forces in recapturing territory controlled by Al-Shabaab. In addition, there have been attempts to take out Al-Shabaab leadership, destroy training facilities, and eliminate rank-and-file members.
Africa: What We Found About Bacteria That Resist Antibiotics in Seafood
It's important to gain a deeper understanding about the various ways in which humans and animals have been exposed to antibiotics, and the rise in bacteria found in food that's resistant to the drugs. This explains why there has been a big increase in research into the sharp rise in bacteria found in food, or food sources, that are resistant to antibiotics. It's an important subject because their presence in the environment poses a threat to global public health, food safety and human health.
Africa: The Social Management of HIV - African Migrants in South Africa
HIV is the most common chronic illness in South Africa. One in every five is infected and one in every 13 takes antiretroviral drugs daily. Managing HIV medically has become more of a part of normal life. Amid this public health emergency, some 2.5 million foreign-born African immigrants live in South Africa. They largely come from countries with the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, such as Lesotho.
African Literary Prizes Are Contested - but Writers' Groups Are Reshaping Them
Literary prizes do more than offer recognition and cash to writers and help readers decide what book to choose. They shape the literary canon, a country's body of highly regarded writing. They help shape what the future classics might be. But what if Africa's biggest prizes are awarded by foreign territories; former colonial masters? Or what if African-born writers in the diaspora are routinely chosen as winners over writers living and working in Africa?
Nigeria: The City of Akure Is Developing Fast. but Citizens Aren't Having Their Say
Akure, the medium-sized capital of Ondo State in Southwest Nigeria, has seen its population increase by more than 54% in 13 years. Akure's population growth is explained by two factors. Ondo State is a part of the Niger Delta, the oil-producing region of Nigeria. In 2006, Akure was classified as a Millennium Development City, as part of its commitment to the eight development goals UN member states agreed to achieve by 2015.
South Africa: Sex Education Raises Questions About the Role of the State in South Africa
Passions are running high in South Africa about a proposed new curriculum for education about sexuality in schools. Aimed at children in grades 4 to 12, it's intended for roll out in public schools in 2020. Concerns raised by parents, schools and civil society organisations include that elements of the curriculum are not appropriate for the age of the children who will be targeted - mostly 10-year olds - and that it undermines the authority of parents.
Africa: How Better Information Will Reduce Maternal and Child Deaths
At least two-thirds of all annual maternal and child deaths worldwide occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite recent improvements, significant inequities persist across countries and regions and within countries.
Congo-Kinshasa: Is the Democratic Republic of Congo Ready for Peacekeepers to Leave By 2022?
An independent United Nations (UN) strategic review has recommended that the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) complete a phased withdrawal by 2022. Mats Berdal gives his insights into why this is happening and what the implications could be. Why is the peacekeeping operation coming to an end? The UN Organisation Mission in the DRC started off as a small observer force in 1999.
Africa: Why We're Involved in a Project in Africa to Promote Edible Insects
There is a wealth of indigenous knowledge about capturing and eating insects in sub-Saharan Africa. But the development of edible insects as a food industry has been very slow, despite its many potential benefits. Sustainability is one. Insects have a small carbon and water footprint. Studies show that insect farming emits less carbon and methane gas than large livestock like cattle and pigs. Much less water is needed to produce the same amount of protein.
South Africa: Mid-High School Certificate Is a Game Changer for South Africa
Every year, more than 300,000 pupils drop out of South African schools after Grade 9. The average age at this level of schooling is 15 years old. Some of them aren't academically prepared to progress to the next grade; some leave because of financial difficulties. Many of the pupils who leave school at that stage remain unemployed for years. Around half of the population under 25 years old is unemployed, in an economy that's barely growing and lacks skilled workers.
South Africa: Communities Can Make - or Break - Strategies to Curb HIV
Communities have long played a critical role in the fight against HIV. Their activism and advocacy have greatly influenced the response to HIV/AIDS over the past four decades. From the early 1980s, communities have fought for the rights and needs of those most affected. For example, faced with stigma and discrimination, gay communities in the US provided prevention advice, care and support. They also fought for treatment development and access.
Nigeria: We Need Philosophers in Countries Like Nigeria in the 21st Century
World Philosophy Day has been set aside to highlight the importance of philosophy in different regional contexts. It defines philosophy as "the study of the nature of reality and existence, of what is possible to know, and of right and wrong behaviour". Wale Fatade asked Tony Okeregbe to explain why philosophy remains relevant today. Why study philosophy? Philosophy has always been the driver of ideas that shape human history.
Nigerian River Snails Carry More Microplastics Than Rhine Snails
analysis By Emmanuel O. Akindele Plastic pollution is a serious environmental menace. A recent United Nations Environment Programme report indicates that there could be more individual plastic items than fish in the oceans by 2050. People continue to find ways of using plastic because it is easily shaped and lasts a long time. The world's plastic production currently stands at about 380 million tonnes a year. That also means there has been a surge in plastic pollution.
Kenya: What Must Be Done to Get Toxin Out of Kenya's Food Supply
An exposé in Kenya has revealed that there are high amounts of a poisonous substance, known as aflatoxin, in many of Kenya's popular maize flour brands. This is particularly worrying as maize flour is a staple food for most Kenyans. Part of the problem is in how maize is processed and distributed in the country. Vivian Hoffmann shares her insights on this and what must be done to prevent it. What are aflatoxins and how do they get into our food?
Africa: Antibiotics - Interplay Between Humans, Animals and the Environment Is Key
Antibiotics have revolutionised health care since their introduction into clinical practice in the 1930s and 1940s by dramatically decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with bacterial infections in humans and animals. Antibiotics have saved innumerable lives. They have also made possible major surgery, organ transplantation, treatment of pre-term babies, and cancer chemotherapy. They have advanced food security and food safety.
South Africa: A Theory of a Tax Revolt - Is South Africa On the Brink?
Tax revolts date back to biblical times. Throughout the ages they have exhibited similar symptoms of a decline in taxpayer morale and confidence in a government's ability to manage public finances for the greater good of its citizens. Recent public outcries in South Africa signalling dissatisfaction and concerns over the management of public finances suggest that the country could be on the brink of a tax revolution.
South Africa: HIV Factor in Kidney Transplants - Research Sheds New Light On Risks
South Africa has one of the highest incidences of HIV in the world. More than 7 million people in the country are living with HIV. This high prevalence rate has led scientists in the country to explore solutions for a wide range of clinical problems that HIV-positive patients face, including end stage kidney failure. Over the past 10 years 51 kidneys from deceased HIV positive donors have been transplanted into HIV-positive patients in Cape Town, South Africa.
West Africa: How the Sahel Has Slipped Into a New Post-Jihadist Era
Bakary Sambe, Université Gaston Berger Military solutions have clearly not been successful in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel. The lessons of America's war in Afghanistan should have forced the international community to face facts: Kalashnikovs alone cannot defeat ideology nor solve the structural problems feeding the radicalisation of the young people who continue to join Boko Haram and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. An example is the French Serval operation.
Angolans Feel Let Down Two Years Into New Presidency
Two years into his presidency, Angolan leader João Lourenço is treading a difficult course between continuity and radical reform. Faced with a persistent economic crisis, the new president needs to take bold action to open up the economy to competition and renewed foreign investment, and reduce the country's dependency on oil. To do so, he has to loosen the stranglehold of the country's elites on key sectors of the economy.
Kenya: Antenatal Care in Kenya Needs Improvement
Maternal and neonatal mortality has remained high in low-resource settings despite progress in recent years. The estimated maternal mortality ratio in Kenya is 342 per 100,000 live births, a startling 18 times the rate in the United States. High quality prenatal care can address these high levels of mortality. High quality prenatal care means women receive all the recommended services needed to ensure a successful pregnancy. But it's not just about receiving services; the woman's experience matters.
Kenya: Why Decades of Kenya Police Reforms Have Not Yielded Change
Images and video of Kenyan police officers brutalising a student during a recent protest at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology circulated widely on social media and resulted in a public outcry. The officers involved were promptly interdicted and are under investigation. In another case that has received a lot of media attention, a former police informer and five police officers were charged with the murder of a lawyer and his client.
Mauritius: How Pravind Jugnauth Clinched the Win in Mauritius' Elections
Mauritius has elected the incumbent, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, as prime minister. His Militant Socialist Movement won a comfortable majority in the election on November 7, 2019. Moina Spooner from The Conversation Africa asked Roukaya Kasenally for insights into how Jugnauth clinched the win. Who is Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and how did he come to power? Pravind Kumar Jugnauth became Mauritius' prime minister in January 2017, when his father, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, stepped down.
South Africa Needs to Get More Young People With HIV On Treatment
The United Nations has set targets to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. To do this the aim is to ensure that by next year, all countries will have achieved what the UN calls 90-90-90 targets. That is that 90% of those with HIV should know their status; 90% of those who know their status should be on antiretroviral treatment; and 90% of those on treatment should be virally suppressed (meaning the levels of the virus in their blood are undetectable).
Namibian Elections - the Sands Are Shifting - Slowly
Namibia's South West African People's Organisation (Swapo) has performed exceptionally well as a governing party among the liberation movements of sub-Saharan Africa. All contemporary liberation movements that subsequently became governing parties remain in power. But none has managed to retain a similar degree of support since independence. The first democratic elections for a constituent assembly took place under supervision of the United Nations in November 1989.
Africa: Global Clothing Brands Should Respond to the #MeToo Mandate
It has been two years since #MeToo went viral, and it's about time the garment industry's sexual harassment problem got the attention it deserves. Clothing and footwear brands can do much more to prevent and address gender-based violence in their supply chains, but first they need to confront how badly their inspection or "social auditing" programs fail women. Clothing brands or factories often bring in social auditors to examine factory working conditions.
Nigeria: A Border Patrol Force Is Unlikely to Solve Nigeria's Smuggling Problem
In August, Nigeria closed its border with Benin without notice. Then, in October, the customs service announced that all goods trade would remain entirely, and indefinitely, banned across all land borders. Finally, on November 14 came the announcement that Nigeria, Benin and Niger would form a joint border patrol force. Nigeria's total land borders are 4,477 km long. The border with Benin is 809 km long; the one with Niger is 1,608 km long.
Nigeria: There Are Still Huge Gaps in Nigeria's Efforts to Protect Children
It is 30 years since countries across the world adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child . Yet, to date, the terms it sets out to protect children remain far from reality in many countries. This is true in Nigeria too, even though its federal government ratified the convention in 1991. After years of complex negotiations, Nigeria passed a new law - the Child Rights Act - 16 years ago. The law was designed to bring the country into line with the provisions of the convention.
Africa Should Focus On Industrialisation. Free Trade Will Follow
The African Continental Free Trade Area is a continental agreement which came into force in May 2019. It covers trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy. Of the 55 African Union member states, only Eritrea has yet to sign it. The immediate objective of the free trade area is principally to boost trade within Africa by eliminating up to 90% of the tariffs on goods and reducing non-tariff barriers to trade.
Africa: Why Smartphone Gambling Is On the Up Among African Millennials
When one talks about young Africans using smartphones, the dominant narrative is that these gadgets serve mostly as platforms for connection so that users can communicate and share greetings and information via text and images. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp and Signal take pride of place in that description, despite their murkier side. What has perhaps been overlooked is how smartphones are also affecting other facets of young people's lives.
Africa: AU Boss Faki Pins Hopes On Ramaphosa to Help Silence Africa's Guns in 2020
The AU Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat particularly hopes Ramaphosa can insert the AU into peace efforts in Libya, from which it has been excluded. The chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat has expressed hope that with President Ramaphosa in the chair of the African Union (AU) in 2020, the continental body will make real progress towards its very ambitious goal of silencing Africa's guns by 2020.
Africa: Exploring How AfCFTA Can Avail Cheaper Medicines for Africa
A high level meeting of policymakers, regulators and industry experts in the field of pharmaceuticals and trade has discussed a bold path towards affordable pharmaceuticals through leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area. The Continent is home to 11% of the world's population yet it carries 25% of the world's burden of disease.
Africa: AFRIMA - Burna Boy Steals Show With Overall Best Artist Award in Africa
Afro fusion artiste, Burna Boy has made another history as he has been adjudged the overall Best Artiste in Africa. He also won Best Male Artiste from West Africa award. The hit maker, who few days ago was nominated for a Grammy award in the Best World Music Album category defeated the likes of Davido and Wizkid to clinch the award. He was at the event to pick his award. Also, Wizkid won the song of the year award. Vanguard
Africa: Chagos Islands - the Fight Over Africa's Last British Colony
A piece of Britain lies between Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. To date the Chagos Islands are still under British control and their inhabitants live in exile. But the UK has missed a deadline to return them. The anger in his voice is clearly audible. There is a lack of goodwill on the side of the British government, Olivier Bancoult says. The fight over the Chagos archipelago has been dragging on for too long. "We are continuing to put pressure [on the British government]," Bancoult told DW.
Africa: Reclaiming our Power - Reimagining the Global Agenda for Women and Girls
Johannesburg — Last week, world leaders gathered in Nairobi for ICPD+25 to celebrate 25 years since the 1994 launch of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) , a convening space that has advocated for the wellbeing of women and girls around the world and invested in their efforts to promote equality and reduce gender-based violence.
Africa May Lose U.S.$22.4 Billion to Poor Disease Surveillance
Abuja — World Health Organisation (WHO) has said countries in Africa may likely suffer drastic consequences including $22.4 billion economic burden over the next decade if nothing was done to push up Vaccine-Preventable Disease (VPD) surveillance in the African Region between 2020 and 2030.
Africa: China-Africa - Evaluating Fruits of Cooperation
Top Chinese officials have been upbeat with concrete results development initiatives between both continents. One year after the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), various projects earmarked for realisation by the Chinese and their African partners are already taking off.
Africa: Too Few of Africa's Commercial Disputes Are Resolved By African Arbitrators - Why This Must Change
Throughout my career arbitrating on disputes between companies and governments outside the courts, I've noticed a growing number of claims made by Africans. But at the same time, I've seen a limited number of African colleagues acting as international arbitrators on the panels that rule on these claims. Official statistics back this up. Between 1998 and 2007, a total of 472 parties from Sub-Saharan Africa arbitrated their disputes before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Africa: Lack of Equity and Diversity Still Plague Global Health Research
The field of global health has evolved from colonial and military medicine, tropical medicine and international health. While it is evolving for the better, research shows that global health is still struggling to shake off its colonial past. Equity is at the heart of global health. And yet, research studies show that global health researchers, funders and journals are not walking the talk on equity, diversity and inclusion.
Africa: Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa 2030 Challenges and Opportunities for Mozambique
Mozambique — Good afternoon, Distinguished Ministers and Government officials, esteemed organizers of the 2019 Economic and Social Forum of Mozambique (MOZEFO) Conference, ladies and gentlemen. Let me first express, on behalf of the International Monetary Fund, our heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with the people of Mozambique for the loss of lives and hardship following Tropical Cyclones Idai and Kenneth.
Africa: Fish in Fashion - Scientists and Designers Create Products to Soothe Stressed Oceans
Rome — Plant-based offerings could spell big changes, both for consumers in rich countries and in parts of the developing world With a third of the world's oceans over-fished and global consumption at an all-time high, the time seems ripe for forward-thinking ventures like U.S.-based Good Catch, which aims to provide "seafood without sacrifice".
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