This Week in Africa

July 15, 2022

Sorry, one day late. Here is the week in Africa:

Quote of the week

“Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur was unable to get her family to attend the Wimbledon finals. And now Kenya’s Omanyala has been denied a visa to participate in the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. If our elite athletes endure such humiliations, what about ordinary Africans?” – Asad Hussein

Ghana’s economic challenges

Ghana’s President Nana Akufo Addo needs to confront the effects of the economic crisis on ordinary people. Ghana debt-restructuring risks increase as IMF agreement is far from certain. The government averted a worker’s strike and struck a deal with trade unions. Why has Ghana returned to the IMF?

Mo Farah and trafficking

Sir Mo Farah reveals he was trafficked as a child. The legendary long-distance runner has opened up a very important discussion about the paths of refugees in the UK and across the world.

Death of José Eduardo dos Santos

Angola’s former dictator José Eduardo dos Santos has died. Governing in the Shadows explains how power is exercised in Angola. Wealth, Land, and Property in Angola will also provide key insights.

Governing South Africa

South Africa’s 2021 deadly riots could recur if there is no change. One year on, the political and economic challenges remain.

Struggle for rights and freedom

Will Sudan’s military leader step aside? This is a cool story about how one historian located Liberia’s founding document. Nelson Mandela and the revolutionaries. Journalism has become risky business in Benin. In news coverage, it is essential to humanize Africans. This is how Museveni’s eyes and ears prolong his presidency. Sebastian Elischer analyzes post-coup politics in Mali. Nigeria is struggling to protect its prisons despite attempts at reforms.

This table tracks political representation in Africa.

Africa’s rapid urbanization

Listen to this podcast on Makoko and Eko. I’d love to read Charles Prempeh’s book on Nima-Maamobi in Ghana’s postcolonial political development. This is a cool map of boda-bodas in Kampala. Biruk Terrefe examines the new politics of Addis Ababa’s megaprojects. Young people in Tshwane’s Ekangala battle challenges of finding work and affording a home.

Research corner

Get your copy of Christoph Vogel’s Conflict Minerals Inc. (summary thread here). Monika Nalepa’s book looks great: After Authoritarianism: Transitional Justice and Democratic Stability. Marc Lynch reviews Sudan’s Unfinished Democracy. Jean Smith’s Settlers at the end of empire: Race and the politics of migration in South Africa, Rhodesia and the United Kingdom is out.

This article examines climate disasters, mass violence and human mobility in South Sudan. Nahomi Ichino and Noah Nathan examine the effects of primary election reforms in Ghana. Claire Elder discusses the political economy of state failure in Somalia. Check out this discussion paper on digital technologies for political activism. This is an interesting article on ocean and land grabbing in Ghana’s offshore petroleum industry. Wunpini Mohammed explains why we need intersectionality in Ghanaian feminist politics and discourses. Paige Bollen’s GLD working paper examines casual contact and prosociality across ethnic divisions in Ghana. This is an important new article on fake news in the Sahel.

The week in development

Cocoa buyers back Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana’s premium schemes. The Afrobarometer is a unique tool for assessing good governance. Senegal sees growing support for African gas. Surging fuel costs are putting pressure on African states.

Africa and the environment

This piece assesses agricultural adaptation in Africa. Demand for twigs is bringing down a rainforest. Biodiversity crisis affects millions who rely on wild species. Global disasters put SDGs out of reach. Gambian musician launches a tree planting initiative. The future is bright for Africa’s solar energy output. From climate change to regional security, the DR Congo crisis looms large.

Daily life

Learn more about the history of Ethiopian film cinema. The NBA is investing big in Africa. Watching tennis in Tunisia. The largest ever exhibition on African fashion opened in London. Zachary Levenson on resisting petty apartheid. And, Elmina.

All the best,

Jeff and Phil