Média "TheConversation-Europe" - List of latest news (2 003 results)

15:45 Humans lived in African rainforests 150,000 years ago, far earlier than believed – new research

New research presents evidence of a wet forest environment 150,000 years ago in Côte d'Ivoire.

15:35 VAT hikes can raise tax without hurting the poor: an economist sets out the evidence

Tax experts usually refer to the three Es in taxes – equity, efficiency and ease of administration. A VAT increase, done properly, would tick all the boxes.

10:49 Sexual predators at school: why South African law is failing to protect children from teachers

Lack of co-ordination means that information important for the safety of children can be missed.

08:55 Flooding incidents in Ghana’s capital are on the rise. Researchers chase the cause

Accra’s flood resilience is very low.

22/04 Nigeria’s growing security crisis: 6 essential reads

Experts provide insights into the various actors involved in Nigeria’s security challenge, their motivation and why efforts to rein them in haven’t quite succeeded.

22/04 West Africa’s bold trade experiment turns 50: an Ecowas report card

Despite its current crisis, Ecowas can look back on successes in integration, peace and security, and good governance.

21/04 Rating agencies don’t treat the Global South fairly: changes South Africa should champion in G20 hot seat

South Africa could use its leadership role to champion the establishment of a global credit rating capacity building initiative.

21/04 Zimbabwe’s house of stone: the gallery that showcases a famous sculpture tradition

Zimbabwe is named after an ancient stone city and its stone sculpture is world famous.

21/04 Francis − a pope who cared deeply for the poor and opened up the Catholic Church

A scholar of global Catholicism writes how Francis has opened the church to the outside world in ways no pope had done before.

21/04 Pope Francis: why his papacy mattered for Africa – and for the world’s poor and marginalised

Pope Francis has transformed the church from an institution in which a few called the shots to a church of the people of God.

20/04 Planning for death: four things you can do to ease your family’s emotional and financial stress

Planning ahead allows families to mourn, rather than scramble.

19/04 Culture can build a better world: four key issues on Africa’s G20 agenda

Jobs, the digital economy, heritage restitution and the climate crisis are highlighted by an Africa-led G20.

17/04 Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain

Periodic flooding in Kinshasa is a symptom of uncontrolled urbanisation.

16/04 Africa’s superfood heroes – from teff to insects – deserve more attention

Africa’s indigenous foods may hold the key to a healthier, more sustainable future – if we choose to value them.

16/04 Africa’s traditional fermented foods – and why we should keep consuming them

In Africa, fermented foods hold great cultural significance and health benefits, yet have not been thoroughly researched.

16/04 Ernest Cole: the South African photographer at the centre of a powerful and heartbreaking film

Ernest Cole: Lost and Found by Raoul Peck is a meditative film that draws on Cole’s own notebooks and letters in a bold attempt to have him tell his own story.

16/04 South Africa’s coalition government is at risk of crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost

South Africa’s government of national unity was built on a foundation of pragmatism. Failure would be bad for the country.

15/04 I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones

Child soldiers are victims, not villains. This is why children in conflict zones must be protected.

15/04 Ethiopia’s 2026 elections: without reforms, the vote may not be free or fair

Ethiopia’s upcoming election provides an opportunity to allow for greater political representation.

15/04 Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why

The victims in more than half of all the ritual murders reported in Ghana and Kenya were children.

15/04 South Africans don’t donate enough blood – technology can help drive the numbers

South Africa must shift from finding new blood donors to building relationships with existing ones. Technology can help.

14/04 Africa’s healthcare funding crisis: 3 strategies to manage deadly diseases

Prevention is better than cure. To cut healthcare costs, African countries must re-strategise.

14/04 South Africa finally has a masterplan for a renewable energy industry: here’s what it says

South Africa’s ambitious renewable energy masterplan has been approved, but will need huge funding and co-ordination between government departments.

14/04 Santa, death and the Easter Bunny – how to have that hard talk with your kid

How best do we teach our kids that the world is not always as we’d like it to be? The ‘when’ can be out of parents’ control, but there are parts of the ‘how’ that are more manageable.

13/04 Accra is a tough city to walk in: how city planners can fix the problem

Ghana’s cities pay little attention to the needs of walkers.

13/04 Power drives global affairs today, not rules – what Africa’s strategies should be

Africa needs a new strategy to engage with the more complex global order.

11/04 Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising

The longer the Sudan war drags on, the higher the risk of fragmentation – turning one conflict into many.

11/04 South Africa’s coalition government is crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost

South Africa’s government of national unity was built on a foundation of pragmatism. Failure would be bad for the country.

10/04 Fulani: new study unravels the genetic history of Africa’s largest pastoralist community

Genetic insights into the Fulani people not only illuminate their biological history but also enrich our understanding of their cultural and historical narratives.

10/04 South African court said no to new coal-fired power: what’s behind the ruling

A recent South African court judgment shows that the right to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations is being upheld.

10/04 Gabon elections: why a landmark vote won’t bring real change

Whoever wins the upcoming presidential election, Gabon’s people will see a new government run by members of the former one.

09/04 Wild meat is eaten by millions, but puts billions at risk – how to manage the trade

How can the benefits and risks of wild meat consumption be balanced to protect human health, wildlife and the environment?

09/04 Chile and South Africa could be green hydrogen exporters – but setting up industries with debt is dangerous

Researchers warn that South Africa and Chile should avoid taking out huge loans to set up green hydrogen industries.

09/04 Critically ill patients in African hospitals aren’t getting the care they need: new survey

A study found 69% of critically ill patients in African countries were treated in general hospital wards.

08/04 Uganda’s boda boda bikes are deadly polluters: study models how going electric could save lives

Uganda has 1.4 million petrol-fuelled motorbikes in its public transport system that all need to go electric to reduce global warming and air pollution.

08/04 Africa’s refugee camps are plagued by flooding: we looked into drainage systems that can withstand local conditions

Refugee camps in Ethiopia need to be made more liveable. Creating wetlands to provide greenery, absorb flash floods and purify polluted water may help.

08/04 Trump’s tariff hikes and South Africa: hunt for new agricultural markets must begin now

Diversifying exports takes time; what needs to be in place to achieve this?

08/04 Rwanda’s image abroad: how western countries are beginning to turn their backs

Rwanda’s involvement in the DRC has damaged the goodwill it used to enjoy from western powers.

07/04 Kenya’s courts are corruption hotspots – radical actions the chief justice must take

Acknowledgement of corruption within courts is a positive step, but the chief justice must embrace more radical approaches.

07/04 South Sudan on the brink of civil war: bold action from the international community is needed

The ongoing crisis in South Sudan has been long in the making – its roots lie in a faltering peace implementation process.

07/04 Amadou Bagayoko: the blind Malian musician whose joyful songs changed west African music

The famous blind couple, Amadou & Mariam, helped take Mali’s rich musical traditions to a new global audience.

07/04 South Africa as G20 leader can take action on Africa’s food supply: 4 ways to make a difference

Holding the G20 presidency this year, South Africa is well positioned to push for new ways to boost agricultural productivity and enhance food security in Africa.

06/04 Woman-to-woman marriage in west Africa: a vanishing tradition of power and agency

Woman-to-woman marriage exemplifies the flexibility of African gender constructs. It’s an assertion of female agency.

06/04 We studied smallholder farming in three African countries for 10 years: why profitable irrigation is key

Small-scale irrigation schemes in southern Africa can produce more food, support more jobs and be more profitable for the local community.

06/04 Do African MPs reflect the people who vote for them? We studied 17 countries to find out

Members of parliaments across Africa face regular accusations of being unrepresentative of their constituents.

04/04 Why was South Africa’s ambassador to the US expelled? A view of the Ebrahim Rasool affair

The consensus is that it was Ebrahim Rasool’s responsibility to hold his tongue, a kind of golden rule in diplomacy.

03/04 Kirsty Coventry and whiteness in Zimbabwe: how sport can rewrite the political rules

Kirsty Coventry’s rise to political importance as a white woman in a black majority Zimbabwe shows how sport is able to reshape race and power.

03/04 Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

Women only really emerged in Tunisia’s male-dominated rap scene with the revolution in 2011. And they’re rapping about much more than just patriarchy.

03/04 Uganda’s speedy motorbike taxis will slow down for cash – if incentives are cleverly designed

Among Uganda’s motorbike taxi drivers, being able to drive fast – despite its dangers – is viewed as a status symbol.

02/04 South Africa’s civil servants are missing skills, especially when it comes to technology – report

Most of South Africa’s government officials don’t know how to use technology to improve efficiency.

02/04 Fake online shops rely on tech skills: what drives Cameroon’s web developers to assist online fraudsters

Some website developers in Cameroon assist fraudsters but distance themselves from the crime.

02/04 Uganda’s electricity distribution is changing hands – what’s at stake

The choices made now in Uganda’s electricity sector will reverberate for years to come.

02/04 Ethiopia’s civil war: what’s behind the Amhara rebellion?

The Fano insurgency is taking place in a territory three times the size of Tigray, stretching the army’s resources.

01/04 Nigeria’s illegal gold trade – elites and bandits are working together

Elite competition for dominance over illegal mining locations leads to funding of armed bandits, and the use of violence against civilians in north-west Nigeria.

01/04 Zimbabwe’s economy crashed – so how do citizens still cling to myths of urban and economic success?

Economic crises since the 1990s led to a sharp rise in Zimbabwe’s informal economy, hence some call the country a nation of vendors.

01/04 South Africans flush toilets with drinkable water: study in Cape Town looked at using seawater instead

A new Water Research Commission study has found that Cape Town residents may be willing to shift to flushing their toilets with seawater.

01/04 How do coconuts get their water?

Coconut water is a filtered and nutrient-rich clear liquid formed by the tree itself.

01/04 Inside an urban terror network: book reveals how police finally cracked Pagad gang violence in Cape Town

The story is told from the inner sanctum of the state security apparatus that fought an urban terror campaign in South Africa between 1998 and 2002.

31/03 Rwanda and Belgium are at odds over the DRC: what’s led to the latest low point

Rwanda’s government has blamed Belgium’s colonial rule for the ethnic divisions that sparked the 1994 genocide.

31/03 Nuclear war threat: why Africa’s pushing for a complete ban

African leaders need to proactively address and confront an impending threat of nuclear war.

31/03 Africa’s data workers are being exploited by foreign tech firms – 4 ways to protect them

There is a need to create regional or continent-wide regulatory frameworks for protection of African gig workers.

31/03 23% of South Africa’s children suffer from severe hunger: we tested some solutions – experts

Fragmentation of services is a barrier in addressing severe child poverty.

30/03 Ghana’s e-levy: 3 lessons from the abolished mobile money tax

Ghana is dropping its mobile tax at a time when other countries are trying to introduce one.

30/03 Nigerians having babies abroad: women explain their reasons

Having the support of family members living in a foreign country was one of the reasons Nigerian women gave for choosing to have their babies overseas.

30/03 New survey explores what people in South Africa expect of publicly visible scientists – why it matters

When asked to name a living scientist from their own country, more than half of the respondents in both countries did not reply.

30/03 West Africa’s hazardous winds: Harmattan carries more than dust – it also spreads disease

The Harmattan is linked to a range of conditions that affect the skin and mucous membranes of humans and animals.

30/03 Discovery of a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement in Morocco rewrites history

The Maghreb has long been absent from studies on the recent prehistory of the Mediterranean. The new findings change that.

27/03 Sudan army takes back Khartoum: tracking the war over two years

Sudan’s war has triggered a massive displacement crisis, with more than 14 million people forced to flee their homes.

27/03 First fossil hyena tracks found in South Africa – how expert animal trackers helped

Animal trackers using traditional skills helped to find and identify fossil tracks on the coast of South Africa.

27/03 Nigeria’s state of emergency: was President Tinubu’s declaration legal and justified?

The Nigerian constitution grants the president the powers to declare a state of emergency but silent on suspension of a state governor.

27/03 Guinea-Bissau’s political crisis: a nation on the brink of authoritarianism

Ecowas initially supported the current president, but now faces growing authoritarianism, causing friction.

27/03 Get-rich-quick schemes, pyramids and ponzis: five signs you’re being scammed

Avoid ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes. They are, more often than not, bogus and fraudulent business ventures.

26/03 Kenya’s decision to make maths optional in high school is a bad idea – what should happen instead

The Kenyan education department should establish the root causes of the low performance in maths, and fix them.

26/03 Africa’s most notorious insects – the bugs that hit agriculture the hardest

Crop losses in African countries due to insect pests are estimated at 49%. However, with some species losses can climb up to 100%.

25/03 Uganda’s lions in decline, hyenas thriving - new findings from country’s biggest ever carnivore count

A census of carnivores in Uganda painted a grim picture in some areas, but marked hope for others.

25/03 Who is Kirsty Coventry and how did she become the most powerful person in world sports?

The IOC is betting on a younger female leader to signal change. She enters the ring at a crucial time for athletes.

25/03 How to get a clean shave – tips from a skin expert

To get a clean, smooth shave, the technique used to remove hair must not irritate or damage the underlying skin.

25/03 Fighting fake news: how media in Kenya and Senegal check facts

Fact-checking is seen as an effective strategy to combat misinformation and disinformation.

25/03 Wealthy nations owe climate debt to Africa – funds that could help cities grow

A new report by the non-profit organisation Action Aid calculates that wealthier countries owe Africa US$36 trillion in climate debt.

24/03 1.5 million-year-old bone tools discovered in Tanzania rewrite the history of human evolution

By 1.5 million years ago, Homo erectus was able to transfer tool-making skills from stone to bone.

24/03 Nigerian journalists are harassed by the public, the state and paid ‘data boys’ – what must change

Online harassment of journalists is becoming a serious problem in an age of social media.

24/03 Diabetic foot pain: expert tips on how to cope

A significant number of diabetics experience pain because of nerve damage.

23/03 Wealthy Africans often don’t pay tax: the answer lies in smarter collection - expert

African countries need to implement effective approaches to ensure wealthy citizens make a bigger tax contribution.

23/03 African safaris and colonial nightmares: a visit to artist Roger Ballen’s latest show

End of the Game sparks critical conversations on wildlife conservation and responsible tourism.

23/03 Nigeria offers free caesareans to save mothers’ lives – but it’s not enough

A number of things could affect the success of Nigeria’s scheme to provide free caesarian sections.

21/03 South Africa has a problem with people in the public service lying about their qualifications: what needs to change

To ensure the civil service is staffed by qualified people, human resource management in the public sector must be professional.

20/03 South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed

South Africa has fallen short in one key aspect when it comes to championing human rights on the continent.

20/03 Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer

The emergency declaration in the state is likely to escalate the activities of militants and inter gang war in the area.

20/03 What is apartheid? New book for young readers explains South Africa’s racist system

Together Apart: The Story of Living in Apartheid was written by two academics for readers of all ages to know about the pain and the triumph of South Africa’s past.

20/03 Scientists in Antarctica: why they’re there and what they’ve found

The main focus of research in the Antarctic revolves around climate change.

20/03 Islamic State in Somalia: the terrorist group’s origins, rise and recent battlefield defeats

After its battlefield defeat, it’s unclear if the Islamic State in Somalia retains the ability to extort money from the business community.

19/03 Cameroon’s Baka people say they are part of the forest: that’s why they look after it

The Baka people of Bemba village, Cameroon, show how sharing is a viable forest management and conservation technique.

19/03 South Africa’s unsafe water supplies: licensing service providers won’t solve the issue

South Africa’s government has a new plan to license water providers and revoke the licences if they don’t deliver clean, drinkable water.

19/03 Chimpanzee genes have changed over time to suit local conditions – new study

Chimpanzees bear genetic adaptations that help them thrive in their different forest and savannah habitats. Some of the adaptations may protect against malaria.

18/03 Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t

The 2020-2022 war and its lingering effects have thrown the Tigray region into chaos.

18/03 High soybean prices in Zambia and Malawi may make chicken costly too: lack of competition is to blame

Competition issues are at the heart of the surge in prices and low production in Malawi and Zambia.

18/03 Surf therapy for children with disabilities: how it’s changing lives in South Africa

Surf therapy can change the lives of children with disabilities.

17/03 Rwanda has moved people into model ‘green’ villages: is life better there?

The Rwandan government moves people at risk of natural disasters or homelessness into safer villages.

17/03 Global crises have hit education hard: 24 years of research offers a way forward for southern Africa

A review of research over two decades points to steps that can make education systems more resilient in times of crisis.

17/03 Lost fynbos seeds from underground ‘time capsules’ in South Africa can grow again – new study

Hundreds of ancient fynbos species could regrow and restore a former pine plantation on Cape Town’s Table Mountain, but only if the remaining pine trees are removed.

17/03 Rescuing Nigeria: how to break the cycle of decline and bring progress

Nigeria needs a broad-based coalition of developmentalist elites.

16/03 Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests

Sudan’s conflict didn’t break out because of the UAE and Saudi Arabia – but local actors felt able to go to war because of external support.

16/03 Who owns digital data about you? South African legal scholar weighs up property and privacy rights

If data ownership is not clearly established, it could stifle innovation and investment.

16/03 Ghana’s poor are the ones who suffer most from corruption: history offers some ideas about fighting back

The effectiveness of anti-corruption initiatives in Ghana depends as much on action from ordinary people as from authorities.

16/03 The first fossil thrips in Africa: this tiny insect pest met its end in a volcanic lake 90 million years ago

This is the first time that a fossil thrips has been recorded anywhere in Africa, or the entire southern hemisphere.

13/03 Dinosaur tracks, made 140 million years ago, have been found for the first time in South Africa’s Western Cape

Dinosaur tracks were found in a rugged, remote coastal South African setting.

12/03 Ancient DNA reveals Maghreb communities preserved their culture and genes, even in a time of human migration

These findings challenge the long-held narrative about migration into and out of North Africa before and during the Neolithic.

12/03 Attacks on people with albinism in Tanzania: African court holds government responsible – why it matters

Upholding the rights of people with albinism would ensure that they are treated fairly and with respect.

12/03 Black holes spew out powerful jets that span millions of light-years – we’re trying to understand their whole life cycle

Understanding the evolution of radio galaxies is crucial for unravelling the broader processes that shape the universe.

11/03 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s new book Dream Count explores love in all its complicated messiness

Dream Count rewards the attentive reader who is willing to let the book slowly add layers of meaning.

11/03 US funding cuts may affect Nigeria’s fight against terrorism. Here’s how

Nigeria needs to take full responsibility for its own security governance and counter-terrorism campaign without waiting for foreign handouts.

11/03 South Africa’s state-owned entities are flagging – how innovation, research and development could revive them

Research, development and innovation are essential for fulfilling state-owned enterprises’ mandates and driving economic growth.

10/03 Athol Fugard: the great South African playwright who captured what it means to be human

His characters – tramps, discarded people, poor people, people on the fringes – are connected with all the people we know of today who are refugees.

10/03 How good are South African kids at maths? Trends from a global study

South Africa’s mathematics achievement trends are unusual. This could point to possible ways to improve results.

09/03 Moving graves and people for coal mines: the devastating costs of mining in South Africa

A new book looks at the spiritual dislocation experienced by people to make way for coal mines.

09/03 The incredible journey of two princes from Mozambique whose lives were upended by the slave trade

Their lives were thrown into chaos when they decided to travel to England to establish trade relations – but got sold into slavery along the way.

07/03 Francis − a pope who has cared deeply for the poor and opened up the Catholic Church

A scholar of global Catholicism writes how Francis has opened the church to the outside world in ways no pope had done before.

07/03 Egypt on edge: finding a delicate balance between Gaza and Trump

Since 1979, Egypt has been a central pillar of US policies in the Middle East.

07/03 The G20: how it works, why it matters and what would be lost if it failed

The effectiveness of the G20, an international forum for economic and political issues, may be blunted by the disruptive behaviour of the Trump administration.

06/03 Sugary drinks are a killer: a 20% tax would save lives and rands in South Africa

A sugar-sweetened beverage tax is effective in reducing sugar consumption and should be increased for health reasons, researchers argue.

06/03 Why does Ethiopia have earthquakes and volcanoes? A geologist explains

A geologically dynamic region in the Great Rift Valley is closely watched by scientists as a fascinating natural laboratory.

06/03 Vaping hits alarming levels among South African teens – new study of fee-paying schools

Nicotine use during adolescence harms the developing brain. South Africa needs to act to stop this harmful habit.

06/03 Ghana needs more young farmers, but does climate change put them off? Study shows surprising results

Governments need to re-frame farming as a technologically forward-thinking career for young people.

06/03 US trade wars with China – and how they play out in Africa

It’s not certain that China’s response to US trade tensions has influenced its Africa policy, but there are coincidences.

05/03 Madagascar’s lemurs live with the threat of cyclones – has this shaped their behaviour?

Lemurs show traits associated with resilience to living in a disaster-prone environment.

05/03 Nigeria reduces inflation rate, but the cost of living remains high – here’s why

Nigeria revised the way inflation is measured but many Nigerians still feel that the cost of living remains high.

05/03 Royal Zulu divorce drama: South African traditions are having to change with the times

Zulu custom opposes divorce except in very particular circumstances. But King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has turned to the courts to end his marriage.

05/03 Green energy doesn’t benefit everyone: ubuntu ideas can help include more people

Ubuntu feminism – the idea that everyone is obliged to care for each other’s wellbeing – should become a central focus of the renewable energy rollout in Africa.

04/03 Maps showing China’s growing influence in Africa distort reality – but some risks are real

China’s growing role in Africa presents a double-edged sword.

04/03 Africa’s ‘sleeping’ language, |xam, has been written in stone at Oxford university

The ǀxam language has been carved into a new building at Rhodes House to honour the labour and suffering of Africans during colonialism.

04/03 Pepfar funding to fight HIV/Aids has saved 26 million lives since 2003: how cutting it will hurt Africa

Pepfar, a global initiative to fight HIV/Aids, has saved millions of lives since its launch in 2003. Now its future is uncertain.

04/03 Life after school for young South Africans: six insights into what lies ahead

What are the prospects for young South Africans once they’ve left school?

03/03 When did our ancestors start to eat meat regularly? Fossilised teeth get us closer to the answer

Not knowing exactly when regular meat consumption became part of our ancestors’ diets is a gap in our understanding of human evolution.

03/03 Nigeria’s 2025 budget has major flaws and won’t ease economic burden

Nigeria’s 2025 budget is anything but pro-poor.

03/03 Who’s my dad? In South Africa that’s a complex question – report tracks the rise of ‘social fathers’

Fewer children live with their biological fathers than with other men. These men should be recognised and given assistance to become social fathers.

02/03 Africa’s elephants have been in dramatic decline for 50 years. What can be done to save them – new study

Maintaining current elephant numbers, let alone reversing declines, requires new thinking and conservation innovation.

02/03 What are the origins of the Asante’s famous kente cloth? I traced its history to find out

Kente cloth reflects Asante beliefs, values and history.

01/03 Oscar contender The Last Ranger shows that the world still wants to see South African stories

South African film is still popular for stories about animals and conflict. The Last Ranger combines both in a slick, well acted short film.

28/02 Africa’s newest book prize is named after Andreé Blouin: who was she?

Andreé Blouin was erased from history despite her pivotal role in African independence. Today she has a book prize named after her.

27/02 Ayo Adebanjo: Nigerian nationalist and social justice crusader

Ayo Adebanjo, Nigerian politician and nationalist, died on 14 February 2025. He was 96.

27/02 Adapting to climate change is limited by people’s behaviour: how social innovation can help

There is a need for democratic participation in designing and implementing social innovations for climate adaptation.

27/02 Pope Francis: why his papacy matters for Africa – and for the world’s poor and marginalised

Pope Francis has transformed the church from an institution in which a few called the shots to a church of the people of God.

27/02 Mati Diop is a new star of African cinema – what her award-winning movies are about

The Senegalese-French director is a master storyteller with films like Dahomey and Atlantics weaving the supernatural with the real.

27/02 South Africa’s malnutrition crisis: why a cheaper basket of healthy food is the answer

The link between household food insecurity and child malnutrition is stark: 28.8% of South African children under five suffer from stunting.

26/02 African Union’s new chair has a long list of tough tasks – what it will take to get them done

The new AU Commission chair promised to defend Africa’s fair representation and role in global forums. This is likely to be an uphill task.

26/02 World’s largest insect faces extinction: how to save two species of Africa’s giant Goliath beetle

Two Goliath beetle species are in grave danger because cocoa farming has wiped out their forests and they’re being sold on the international dry insect market.

26/02 Climate talks: global south must seize the moment and take the lead

Reducing emissions, removing greenhouse gases, repairing ecosystems and building resilience are the four R’s that can save the planet.

26/02 15 million South Africans don’t get enough to eat every day: 4 solutions

Food shortages are not the cause of hunger in South Africa. The country produces and imports all the food it needs.

25/02 Kenya’s goal to plant 15 billion trees should include farmers – study shows they are keen

Kenya plans to plant 15 billion trees to combat climate change.

25/02 What do I do with expired medicine? Don’t use it, for a start…

Medications degrade over time, meaning they may not work as intended once they reach and pass their expiry date.

25/02 Land reform in South Africa doesn’t need a new law: the state should release property it owns – economists

South Africa’s land reform minister should be distributing land owned by the government to black farmers rather than fussing about new laws.

25/02 Nigeria’s killer fuel tankers: accidents and explosions are common – how to stop them

Fuel tanker accidents in Nigeria can be prevented by restructuring the built environment, providing parking spaces for the tankers, and constructing good roads.

24/02 Entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty? Study in rural Kenya shows why it doesn’t always work

Development agencies should be careful about creating tensions between existing cultural norms and new concepts and behaviours they are introducing.

24/02 Africa relies too heavily on foreign aid for health – 4 ways to fix this

Foreign aid has helped, but it leaves African countries vulnerable to the political mood swings of funders.

24/02 South Africa’s famous fynbos must be preserved – but burning invasive plants on site isn’t the best strategy

Burning invasive plants on site creates scars and prevents natural vegetation from growing back quickly.

23/02 DRC vs Rwanda at the African Court: why it could be a decisive moment for human rights and justice on the continent

Can the DRC’s case against Rwanda before the African Court help defuse future conflict between African states?

23/02 Ancient stone walls and power: what data science tools can reveal in African archaeology

Visibility patterns of settlements may be influenced by social, economic and defensive needs.

23/02 Mining Mali: how policy changes are reshaping the sector

Mali aims to increase its stake in mining projects and strengthen control over its natural resources.

21/02 South Africa’s finance minister wanted to raise VAT: the pros and cons of a tricky tax

The South African Treasury thinks that additional revenue should come from taxes on consumption.

20/02 Indigenous futures thinking: 4 approaches to imagining a better world

Indigenous futures thinking brings the expertise built up by Indigenous communities over many years into the plans needed for the world to adapt to climate change.

20/02 Kumasi was called the garden city – but green spaces are vanishing in a clash of landuse regulations

Kumasi was once considered among west Africa’s greenest cities.

20/02 Naming and shaming rape suspects: South African court ruling challenges current thinking

A South African court judgment makes it clear that accusing someone by name is not necessarily harassment.

20/02 Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Traoré is making waves in west Africa. Who is he?

Ibrahim Traoré’s popularity in some west African countries may rest on shaky foundations.

19/02 Souleymane Cissé has died. He was one of Africa’s boldest and most pioneering film-makers

The director passed away in Bamako at the age of 84. He was an incomparable force in Africa’s cinema history.

19/02 6 in 10 young South Africans have no jobs. Why some still reject offers of work

Rejecting precarious work signals dissatisfaction with a labour market where wage employment rarely offers security or social mobility.

19/02 6 tips on how to run a company in turbulent times – lessons from emerging markets

Companies wanting to build resilience and operate in uncertainty can take inspiration from operations that have long navigated instability.

19/02 Is Nigeria in danger of a coup? What the country should do to avoid one – political analyst

For democracy to survive in Nigeria, it must advance development for the people.

19/02 Baboons and human fear: a deep history behind the cruel attacks in South Africa

The native people of South Africa revered baboons, but they became part of occult beliefs and suburban fears.

19/02 Ecowas breakup could push up food prices and worsen hunger in west Africa

The cost of a daily nutritious diet in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger is 110% higher than the west African region’s daily minimum wage.

18/02 South Africa has failed to deliver access to enough water for millions – a new approach is needed

In South Africa, a household gets 6,000 litres of free water a month. For a family of eight, this falls below the global minimum for health and hygiene.

18/02 Quantum effects make distant objects move together: new research finds this may happen with ripples in space

Gravitational waves carry information about massive cosmic events and help scientists to ‘listen’ to space.

17/02 Murder of gay South African imam Muhsin Hendricks reignites queer Muslim debate

Gunned down on Saturday morning, the man dubbed the world’s first openly gay Imam was as loved as he was controversial. A friend and scholar reflects.

17/02 Deeply religious African countries (surprisingly) provide little state support to religion – unlike countries in Europe

European states are more involved in religion than those in sub-Saharan Africa.

17/02 Goma is threatened by conflict and a volcano: we’ve created a handbook to help hotspots like these

The DRC illustrates how millions of people in fragile, violent and conflict-affected parts of the world are at risk of disaster.

17/02 Green skills to help nature repair itself are scarce: what we’re doing to train more experts in South Africa and Senegal

Universities in Senegal and South Africa are now teaching the skills of setting up nature-inspired projects to deal with some of the problems of climate change.

17/02 Why is there so much gold in west Africa?

West Africa has been a gold mining hub for centuries.

16/02 Has finance for green industry had an impact in Africa? What’s happened in 41 countries over 20 years

African countries must start manufacturing their own renewable energy systems. Green industrialisation will boost the continent’s economic development.

16/02 Fourth industrial revolution in South Africa: inequality stands in the way of true progress

Wealthier South Africans, particularly those in urban areas, are more optimistic about emerging technologies than those in low-income and rural areas.

15/02 M23 rebels are marching across eastern DRC: the interests driving players in the conflict

M23’s advances highlight Rwanda’s role in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the risk of an escalating regionalised conflict.

14/02 Kenya relies on USaid famine warning system – what happens now that it’s gone?

The absence of the early warning network will affect Kenya’s ability to address food insecurity.

13/02 Michael Mosoeu Moerane was a pioneering composer in South Africa. A new book is restoring his place in history

The true depth of Michael Mosoeu Moerane’s work as a composer and educator is revealed in a stunning new biography called The Times Do Not Permit.

13/02 Lake Victoria is turning green – the deadly bacteria behind it

The organisms that cause greening are highly concentrated in Kenya’s shallow Winam Gulf.

12/02 Trump and South Africa: what is white victimhood, and how is it linked to white supremacy?

Rural violence is a huge problem in South Africa that deserves a strong response. But white people are not the only casualties.

12/02 West Africans have a high risk of kidney disease – new study confirms genetic cause

A study shows a significant genetic risk factor for kidney disease in people from Ghana and Nigeria.

12/02 Sustainable economic growth in South Africa will come from renewables, not coal: what our model shows

The South African government has not invested enough for renewable energy to contribute to long-term economic growth.

12/02 Ghana’s urban strategies neglect the needs of street vendors: policy must catch up with reality

Street vendors in Ghana face a daily battle with city authorities.

12/02 Donald Trump’s war on global governance: lessons from the past on how to fight back

Trump’s power s not absolute. It is constrained by the relative decline in US power in the world.

12/02 What is Sudan virus and how similar is it to Ebola?

Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus disease, with the first case linked to a 32-year-old nurse in Kampala.

11/02 South Africa’s history uncovered: the 1,000-year gap they don’t teach in school

Between the 10th and 15th centuries, the gold market boomed, especially in Egypt, Persia, India and China. Southern Africa played a crucial role in meeting demand.

11/02 Living with multiple chronic conditions cuts lives short – but Africans are overlooked in research

People of African descent often have non-communicable and infectious diseases at the same time. Research needs to be done into integrated treatment.

11/02 Online romance scams: who Nigeria and Ghana’s fraudsters are, how they operate, and why they do it

Romance fraud is a popular crime in Ghana and Nigeria.

10/02 Healthcare in Africa on brink of crisis as US exits WHO and USAid freezes funds: health scholar explains why

US withdrawal from the WHO and of all foreign aid will have dire consequences for Africa. It’s time the continent took responsibility for its own people.

10/02 Green hydrogen is a clean fuel, but South Africa’s not ready to produce it: energy experts explain why

Chemical engineering specialists have mapped out the risks for South Africa in setting up a multi-billion dollar green hydrogen industry.

10/02 Modern slavery and climate change: how extreme weather fuels forced labour and unwanted marriages

Climate policies in Africa must include clear commitments to combat modern slavery.

10/02 Power vacuum in west Africa’s Sahel: 3 ways China could fill the gap as west exits

China stands a good chance of taking advantage of the dwindling western presence in the Sahel region of west Africa.

10/02 Central African Republic: listening to people’s stories about foreign forces could help bring peace

In the Central African Republic, peacekeeping missions are losing popular support by failing to meet people’s expectations, leaving room for more ruthless actors.

10/02 Why the price of your favorite chocolate will continue to rise

Aridity is silently spreading through many of the world’s cocoa-producing regions. There are steps we can take to save them.

09/02 Building Zambian homes with local materials delivers benefits that imports don’t: study

In Zambia, a project using local materials to build houses, instead of imported steel and concrete, resulted in benefits for small businesses and artisans.

09/02 Migrant traders play a key role in South African tourism: it’s time policy makers protected them

Recognising informal traders would help create a more robust tourism sector in South Africa.

09/02 Sam Nujoma personified Namibia’s struggle for freedom

Like many African leaders of his era, he was shaped by the struggle for resistance against colonial oppression. This was no romantic picnic.

07/02 Breastfeeding and Ebola: knowledge gaps endanger mothers and babies

Breastfeeding mothers and their babies have largely been neglected in Ebola research. This needs to change.

07/02 The fossil skull that rocked the world – 100 years later scientists are grappling with the Taung find’s complex colonial legacy

The history of human origins research is intimately intertwined with the prevalent socio-political landscape.

07/02 DRC conflict: talks have failed to bring peace. Is it time to try sanctions?

Current initiatives to bring peace in eastern DRC have been ineffective as they are routinely violated.

06/02 Peace in Sudan: what it’s going to take

Sudan must find the right formula to manage its diverse political, economic and cultural interests.

06/02 Congo’s stylish sapeur movement goes beyond fashion – 5 deeper insights

For sapeurs, appearance is a powerful way to make an impression and stand out in an environment often defined by hardship.

06/02 Female genital mutilation is a leading cause of death for girls where it’s practised – new study

A study finds female genital mutilation or cutting is a leading cause of death: a young woman or girl dies every 12 minutes.

05/02 Violent crime in South Africa happens mostly in a few hotspots: police resources should focus there – criminologist

Police officials in high-crime areas are overwhelmed by the many criminal cases they must investigate.

05/02 US health funding cuts: what Nigeria stands to lose

Nigeria needs to step up disease prevention and control and decentralise disease surveillance as the US pulls donor funding.

05/02 Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits

Nigeria can benefit from a Brics partnership but it must find a careful balance between the relationship and the interests of its western allies.

05/02 South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues

A South African government intervention is addressing the symptoms of the 2024 outbreak of food-borne illnesses, not the underlying causes.

04/02 DRC: history is repeating itself in Lubumbashi as the world scrambles for minerals to go green

Lubumbashi is little known, but its minerals electrified the world, created atom bombs and are key to greener energy, the defining geopolitical issue of our time.

04/02 Psychology in democratic South Africa: new book explores a post-apartheid journey

There has been a growing recognition that psychology, as a discipline, must engage more deeply with local contexts.

04/02 Can nature help solve human problems like climate change? Researchers weigh up pros and cons

Using nature to solve environmental damage caused by humans can work on a local level, but can nature-based solutions be scaled up enough to address climate change?

03/02 Rituals, rites and rumours: how women claim power in Zimbabwe’s informal gold mines

In Zimbabwe it was believed that if a woman went underground the gold seam would vanish, but above ground women held spiritual power over mines.

03/02 Kinshasa’s traffic cops run an extortion scheme generating five times more revenue than fines

Low wages and low funding in the DR Congo have led to police officers trying to extract funds from drivers.

02/02 Sudan war: ethnic divisions are being used to cover up army failures – peace scholar

The Sudanese army is tapping into nationalist and xenophobic sentiments to gain domestic support and distract attention from its actions and failures.

02/02 Education in Zimbabwe has lost its value: study asks young people how they feel about that

Zimbabwe’s graduates feel let down because the modernist promises of education have failed them.

02/02 Burkina Faso’s nature reserves are worth protecting – but people have to be part of the plan

Burkina Faso’s little-known nature reserves need protection. They are a key stopover point for the 2.1 billion birds that migrate from Europe to Africa every year.

31/01 Climate finance and care services: why public investment is necessary

Only 4% of funds earmarked for adaptation to climate change have been targeted for healthcare, childcare and long-term care facilities for the elderly,

31/01 South Africa’s debt has skyrocketed – new rules are needed to manage it

South Africa needs a credible plan to stabilise and reduce debt or it risks economic stagnation and financial instability.

31/01 South African troops are dying in the DRC: why they’re there and what’s going wrong

The Southern African Development Community intervention force in the mission in the DRC is outgunned and outmanned.

30/01 We studied more than 500 giraffe skulls from all over Africa – and confirmed there are 4 distinct species

There are significant differences in the skull shapes of the different types of giraffe.

30/01 Wetlands in South Africa’s Addo elephant park are in danger: what’s being done to protect them

Environmental scientists have compiled the first list of wetlands in South Africa’s Addo Elephant Park. This will be useful to measure the effects of climate change.

30/01 Nigeria’s plastic bottle collectors turn waste into wealth: survey sheds light on their motivation

In Nigeria, informal collectors of plastic bottle waste are central to resolution of the clash between its environmental costs and economic benefits.

30/01 Burundi is losing its trees: how to break heavy charcoal use and tree clearing through climate reforms

Burundi’s government must balance strict climate regulations alongside promoting voluntary climate change behavioural changes.

30/01 Land seizure and South Africa’s new expropriation bill: scholar weighs up the new act

The expropriation of property for land reform purposes is a potential tool for reducing land inequality.

30/01 Anti-immigration policies: why harsh new rules put in place by Trump and other rich countries won’t last

Global north policies are increasingly nasty but these countries are ageing fast - without migrant labour, they face economic hardship.

29/01 Chad’s parliamentary election hands Mahamat Déby absolute control. Here’s why it’s dangerous

Chadians’ trust in the democratic process has ceased completely. This bodes ill for a country that ranks as one of the poorest in the world.

29/01 Femicide in Kenya: William Ruto has set up a task force – feminist scholar explains its flaws

At face value, any public action the Kenyan government takes to show that it’s listening to its citizens is important – but it’s only a first step.

29/01 South African poetry has a new digital archive – what’s behind the project

Deep South, a small publisher with big influence, has expanded its website with easy-to-access information about its poets and their work.

28/01 Peace in Sudan: a fresh mediation effort is needed – how it could work

A new approach to mediation is needed in Sudan, not simply a new mediator.

28/01 Rereading Rembrandt: how the slave trade helped establish the golden age of Dutch painting

In the 1600s the Netherlands established one of the world’s first art markets – but it couldn’t have happened without the economic boom spurred by the slave trade.

28/01 Cameroon could do with some foreign help to solve anglophone crisis – but the state doesn’t want it

Cameroon’s leadership has a history of rebuffing outside intervention in the country’s internal affairs. This has hampered efforts to resolve the anglophone crisis.

28/01 A hot and troubled world of work: how South Africa’s bold new climate act and labour law can align to drive a just transition

South Africa is working on how best to integrate labour and environmental justice and how its labour laws can be used to enable a just energy transition.

27/01 600 million Africans don’t have electricity - the green energy transition must start with them

The transition to renewable energy in Africa should have energy for everyone as its goal or the 600 million African people who lack electricity may remain without.

27/01 DRC creates a reserve force to fight the M23 – why this may backfire

Merely absorbing armed groups into a reserve force does little to address the underlying causes of the eastern DRC crisis.

26/01 South African telescope discovers a giant galaxy that’s 32 times bigger than Earth’s

It’s been a bit troublesome to understand the physics behind what’s going on with Inkathazo.

26/01 Urban food gardens produce more than vegetables, they create bonds for young Capetonians – study

Young urban farmers in Khayelitsha are nurturing connections, creating economic opportunities, and promoting environmental conservation.

24/01 Mpox in the DRC: residents of the slum at the centre of Kinshasa’s epidemic have little chance of avoiding this major health crisis

Long known as a virus confined to rural areas, mpox has reached Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

24/01 Political assassinations, police violence and lack of press freedom: 3 barriers to peace in Mozambique

Dialogue with Mozambique’s opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane is necessary. However, it must not be another ‘elite bargain’ that does not benefit the common people.

24/01 South Africa’s poverty relief grant should be increased rather than paid to more people – economists explain why

South Africa’s social relief grant has enabled recipients to search for work or start small businesses.

23/01 Five artists, five nations: taking to the road to find southern Africa’s hidden stories

A new coffee table book explores the ties that bind the work of southern Africa’s contemporary artists.

23/01 Industrial scale farming is flawed: what ecologically-friendly farming practices could look like in Africa

Clearing huge tracts of land to plant one crop like maize has degraded land and put healthy food out of the reach of ordinary people. A new book has solutions.

23/01 Discovery in South Africa holds oldest evidence of mixing ingredients to make arrow poison

This is the oldest confirmed use of a mixture comprising two or more plant toxins specifically applied to arrowheads.

23/01 9 million Ethiopian children have been forced out of school: what the government must do

Leaving millions of children out of school has devastating consequences.

22/01 Informal mining in South Africa is here to stay. Police brutality won’t end it - here’s what will

South Africa’s police have resorted to medieval military tactics against illegal miners. But the solution lies elsewhere: massive regional economic repair.

22/01 Africa without borders could help the continent prosper – what’s getting in the way

African leaders’ authoritarian practices, domestic power struggles and governance failures have undermined efforts to create a ‘United States of Africa’.

22/01 It’s hard for women in Sierra Leone to own land – here’s why

Women in the Grafton community of Sierra Leone are often left with restricted land ownership rights.

22/01 How Nigerian banks empower women through corporate social responsibility

Banks should consider and integrate women empowerment principles into their corporate social responsibility initiatives.

22/01 AI in education: what those buzzwords mean

AI’s potential needs to be explored through experimentation. But this works best if managed under controlled environments.