Current geopolitical tensions could be catastrophic for climate action, especially Africa’s renewable energy transition. Climate action, particularly the transition to renewables and low-carbon energy, is caught in the crossfire of the United States (US)-China geopolitical rivalry. This new cold war could accelerate global warming, with Africa potentially a victim – living out the old proverb,…
The geopolitical matrix of the Horn of Africa is undergoing a profound and unpredictable realignment. Caught in a volatile web of historical animosities, maritime rivalries, and shifting power balances, the region has reached a deeply troubling crossroads. Key state actors face a critical dilemma: either escalate toward coordinated, multi-front military confrontation or backpedal toward structured…
Walk through Nairobi and the twenty-first century global economy comes into view. Chinese-built expressways carry commuters to office towers occupied by American technology firms. French retailer Carrefour has become one of the country’s largest supermarket chains. Japanese vehicles dominate the roads while Indian pharmaceutical companies supply hospitals and pharmacies. Increasingly, Gulf investors are financing the…
Kampala — If the first challenge confronting African diplomacy is that peace negotiations are becoming increasingly transactional, and the second is that modern wars have outgrown traditional mediation, then the third and perhaps most difficult question is this: what should replace the old model? That question has moved from academic circles into the centre of…
Described as “sometimes modest, sometimes historic,” UN special political missions have quietly been preventing the escalation of conflicts during the organization’s 80-year history, becoming a key instrument for maintaining peace. Many of the United Nations’ biggest successes are the crises that never make the headlines. Around the world, special political missions work quietly to ease…
My stay in China as part of the DongFang scholarship program at Peking University (PKU) allowed me to immerse in the heart of China’s institutional and administrative architecture, to meet high-ranking officials responsible for strategic departments, as well as distinguished academics. Visits to cutting-edge industrial sites gave me the opportunity to observe remarkable technological advances,…
As host of the first Our Ocean Conference in Africa, Kenya could pursue a three-pronged strategy to achieve decisive ocean action. The ocean’s balance sheet is in the red: humanity is extracting resources faster than the sea can replenish, while polluting it to unsustainable levels. In June, world leaders will gather in Mombasa for the…
Addis Ababa — Israeli President Isaac Herzog met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday during his official visit to Ethiopia, with both leaders pledging to deepen cooperation across key economic, technological and regional sectors. “I welcomed President Isaac Herzog of Israel today for productive discussions during his official visit. We explored the relations between…
Can the security-for-minerals approach yield win-win outcomes for Sahelian states beyond diplomatic recognition? In February, United States (US) Senior State Department Official Nick Checker visited Bamako to reaffirm Washington’s respect for Mali’s sovereignty, and reset bilateral ties after ‘past policy missteps’ through renewed security and economic cooperation. Similar messages were conveyed to Nigerien Prime Minister,…
European leaders distance themselves from Trump’s hardline immigration tactics, but how different are their approaches? Since the 2015 ‘migration crisis’, Europe has pressured African countries into tightening their border security and accepting returned migrants, irrespective of whether these policies are in Africa’s best interest. And although many European leaders distance themselves from President Donald Trump’s…
