The World Bank made history in 1994 by creating the Inspection Panel, the first independent accountability mechanism at any international organisation. Its function is to investigate complaints from communities who allege they were harmed because the bank failed to comply with its own policies and procedures. By establishing the three-member Inspection Panel, the World Bank…
Violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people are widespread, including at school, where 45 per cent of LGBT youth report being bullied. That’s the worrying message from UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, who says that more than one in three countries still criminalize consensual same-sex conduct and several also maintain the death penalty for it….
Moscow — Under the auspices of the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Russian-African Club, in late April, held its IV International Forum of Journalists from Russia and Africa, which marked another historical milestone. According to an established annual tradition, discussions were focused on aspects of the media, its structure, current performance,…
At the 2026 Africa Forward Summit, convened by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, Heirs Holdings Founder and Group Chairman Tony O. Elumelu delivered a strong message to global leaders, investors, and development partners: Africa seeks meaningful partnerships rooted in equality, not dependency. Addressing delegates at the summit, Elumelu emphasized that Africa’s…
The Fundamental Imperative Financing education, particularly “foundational learning”, is the smartest investment a nation can make. The returns on foundational learning, the ability to read, write, and count, are individual, social, and economic, touching every level of society. Evidence from the World Bank report indicates that each additional year of quality education can increase an…
Joint naval patrols are stretched thin by the Middle East crisis, but their ability to eradicate piracy was always limited. Piracy has re-emerged off Somalia’s coast. Numerous dhows and larger merchant vessels were targeted in April and May, with some ships and their crews held for ransom. In response, the Joint Maritime Information Center raised…
The most culturally diverse men’s football World Cup in history is taking place in the United States at a time when foreign nationals feel less and less welcome in the country. The 2026 competition kicks off on 11 June with games in Canada, Mexico, and the US. The US will host by far the largest…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing rising cases, cross-border spread and significant uncertainties about the scale of the epidemic. The decision, announced by WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus on Sunday, follows reports of…
MONROVIA — Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson, Sr. opens Monrovia to 26 of Africa’s top financial watchdogs Monday, as Liberia hosts the continent’s most high-stakes public audit gathering for the first time in the GAC’s history. The assembly, convened under the African Organization of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions, known as AFROSAI-E, runs Monday through Friday…
Gunmen Abduct Over 50 Schoolchildren in Nigeria More than 50 children, most of them aged between two and five, have been abducted by gunmen from three schools in Mussa, Borno State. Eyewitnesses who saw the attacks said that the suspects used the children as human shields while fleeing on motorbikes, preventing security forces from…
