Across the world, countries are racing to become “smoke-free”, and some have already made remarkable progress. Sweden, for example, recently announced that only around 4.5% of its population still smoke cigarettes — the lowest reported rate in Europe. Their success has been celebrated as a model for others to follow. However, beneath the applause lies…
Companies need to implement AI usage policies. AI adoption has outpaced governance. While tools like ChatGPT and Copilot have become part of daily business life, more than half of organisations still lack a policy to manage the risks they create. A late 2024 survey found only 44% of executives said their company had a generative…
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Oct 7 2025 (IPS) – The World Bank’s 1981 Berg Report provided the blueprint for structural adjustment, including economic liberalisation in Africa. Urging trade liberalisation, it promised growth from its supposed comparative advantage in agriculture. Berg promises Accelerated Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Plan for Action by Professor Elliot Berg blamed government…
Dams have been emblematic of the World Bank’s approach to development for many decades. From the bank’s early years in the 1960s and 1970s, large-scale infrastructure projects such as dams, power plants and transport networks were central to its strategy for economic growth and poverty reduction. This reflected a top-down modernisation paradigm. But the controversial…
New York — US President Donald Trump used his first address to the United Nations General Assembly since beginning his second term to launch a blistering critique of the world body, migration policies and international climate action. Speaking for nearly an hour at UN headquarters, Trump declared it was time to “end the failed experiment…
Since 2006, The World Bank’s annual Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) Report has been a guide for countries, policymakers, and investors, identifying key trends and best practices that support effective public service delivery and foster a more resilient and prosperous future for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The CPIA is an annual diagnostic tool for SSA…
Addis Ababa — President of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Professor Benedict Oramah addressed the implications of shifting global trade policies, including the reintroduction of reciprocal tariffs by the U.S., noting that such developments further validate the urgency of fast-tracking the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In a powerful exchange moderated by Michael Rheinegger of…
