Had Maduro enjoyed undisputed electoral legitimacy, his capture by a foreign power would have been far more costly. America’s military removal of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro sent shockwaves far beyond Latin America. In Africa, it was met with indignation and unease. For many African governments, the event revived long-standing anxieties about sovereignty, external intervention and…
Behind the Facts 2025: Lessons of resilience and innovation from the frontlines of fact-checking The year has been particularly turbulent for those working to uphold information integrity, as powerful voices have sought to undermine accuracy and trust. At the same time, the funding environment has shifted in ways that directly affect the scale of work…
As I step into 2026, my task is to continue building the layers that will create a future where African states can turn their climate commitments into real achievements, and I look forward to that with excitement. When I reflect on the year, I do not see isolated trips or separate assignments, but a long…
“It was a nice and hot day, there was this breeze. But for me, it was a cold front. That’s how bad it was. And already I was now experiencing AIDS symptoms,” Nombuyiselo Mapongwana (58) recalls from the living room of her Soweto home. In 2002, five years after she was diagnosed with HIV Nombuyiselo…
DOHA, Qatar – During the Second World Summit for Social Development, Spotlight Initiative hosted a Solutions Studio conversation to highlight strategies for addressing gender-based violence and to share best practices for driving collaboration on protecting the rights of women and girls. Spotlight Initiative Global Coordinator Erin Kenny introduced the session, which explored how to bring…
Debating Ideas reflects the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing from within the African continent and beyond. It offers debates and engagements, contexts and controversies, and reviews and responses flowing from the African Arguments books. It is edited and managed by the…
As Malawi prepares for national elections this September, women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health has taken center stage in political dialogue. In a two-day engagement organized by Amref Health Africa in Malawi under the Collaborative Advocacy Action Plan (CAAP), more than 20 civil society organizations met with the country’s four major political parties—MCP, UTM, UDF, and…
When the final whistle blew in Nairobi, the noise was deafening — not just from the crowd at the Moi International Sports Centre, but from the disbelief echoing across African football. Kenya, making their debut at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), had just taken down two-time champions Morocco 1-0, playing half the match a man…
IT security breaches are on the rise in South Africa and worldwide and, with AI tools at their disposal, criminals are scaling up their attacks. With the risk of attack so high, organisations are forced to look beyond beefing up security – they must prepare for the unfortunate event where their systems are, in fact,…
Imagine living in a place where a single drought, hurricane, or mudslide can wipe out your food supply. Across Africa, many communities do exactly that – navigate climate shocks like floods, heatwaves, and failed harvests. What’s often overlooked in the development policies to tackle these threats is a powerful sources of insight: Africa’s own history….
