R&D scope and quality in Africa mars economic goals

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Research Output ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Pharmaceutical Products ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Private Sector Investment ◽  
Return Home ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Support Research

Subject R&D in sub-Saharan Africa. Significance Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) research output has more than doubled over the past decade. The capacity to support research and development (R&D) that is commercially relevant is critical for developing secondary and tertiary industries. However, skills deficits, quality problems and reliance on foreign support loom large -- undermining more resilient African economic growth. Impacts Opaque intellectual property protections in many African states discourage firms from committing large sums to local R&D. Local indigenous knowledge remains vulnerable to appropriation by non-SSA firms such as for pharmaceutical products. Where non-health research capacity improves, it will focus on areas aligned with the greatest private sector investment. New scholarships to Chinese universities may boost future SSA research capacity, but only if recipients return home.

Government domestic debt arrears and private investment in Sub-Saharan Africa

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evans Kulu ◽  
William Gabriel Brafu-Insaidoo ◽  
James Atta Peprah ◽  
Eric Amoo Bondzie
Keyword(s):  
Private Investment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vector Autoregressive ◽  
Private Sector Investment ◽  
Moment Estimation ◽  
Standard Vector ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Payment Arrears

PurposeThis study investigates the effect of government domestic payment arrears on private investment. The authors argue that an increase in government domestic arrears can reduce private sector investment owing to the competition for credit.Design/methodology/approachThe prediction is empirically tested using data for 33 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries for the period 2007–2018 using a panel general methods of moment estimation technique. This is also complemented with impulse responses derived from the standard vector autoregressive model.FindingsThe results show that an increase in government domestic arrears adversely affects private investment in SSA and most subregional communities within SSA. It also revealed that private investment negatively responds to shocks in government domestic arrears.Originality/valueThis is the first study that attempts to investigate the effect of government domestic borrowing arrears on private investment. It seeks to serve as a guide to governments in their domestic borrowing decisions to ensure timely servicing.

Popular expectations are high after Burkina Faso poll

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
Security Threats ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sub Saharan

Significance The emergence of a clear victor will go a long way towards restoring political stability in a country marked by turbulence since a popular uprising ousted the autocratic government of Blaise Compaore more than a year earlier. However, the new government now faces popular expectations that are strikingly different from the past. Impacts The government's electoral mandate will help the country regain its formerly constructive role in regional affairs. Growing regional security threats from neighbouring Mali and Niger will be high priorities for the new administration. The visibly democratic and transparent nature of the election may inspire pro-democracy activists elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

Moroccan phosphates sector may see virus silver lining

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Value Added ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Western Sahara ◽  
The Past ◽  
Ongoing Work ◽  
The Status ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Silver Lining

Subject Outlook for Moroccan phosphates exports. Significance Phosphate rock prices have slumped over the past year and have since stabilised at 72.50 dollars per tonne, down almost 30% since early 2019. Morocco, the second-largest producer of phosphates after China and home to the vast majority of global reserves, has felt the resulting squeeze. The national phosphates company Office Cherifien des Phosphates (OCP) Group has managed to offset some of this by accelerating its shift to downstream production of acid and fertilisers, but margins have likely been hit and the company may lack the scope to continue scaling up value-added production without further investment. Impacts OCP's ongoing work to consolidate its position in sub-Saharan Africa will also help support Moroccan export revenues. At current extraction rates, Morocco may be the only major producing country with phosphate reserves to last beyond 50 years. Rabat's drive to increase revenue from mining other minerals and metals is likely to yield only modest results. A diplomatic shift over the status of Western Sahara (and thus key OCP mining locations) is unlikely.

scholarly journals Integration of nematology as a training and research discipline in sub-Saharan Africa: progress and prospects

Nematology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Laura Cortada ◽  
Inge Dehennin ◽  
Wim Bert ◽  
Danny Coyne
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Past ◽  
Training And Research ◽  
Return Home ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
First Time

Summary Within sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), although nematodes are viewed among the most important threats to crop production and food security, the presence of trained nematologists working within this discipline has traditionally been viewed as scarce. The few research studies concerning this subject address this topic from a country or sub-regional perspective and generally portray nematology as ‘insufficient’. Over the past two decades, a few initiatives have been instrumental in building greater nematology expertise. For the first time a structured survey was undertaken, involving interviews with individuals from SSA that were (or currently are) involved in nematology training programmes, research, national extension services or in African universities. This paper provides evidence of the positive impact of various initiatives and shows an increase in the number of available nematology positions, together with high rates of graduates that return home to occupy qualified positions. Our findings will help researchers, policy makers and donors to identify areas requiring support to increase the promotion of nematology in SSA and to make an impact for end-users.

Maghreb states' Africa ties turn on security, trade

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Sufficient Reason ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Western Sahara ◽  
Turn On ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Economic Engagement

Subject Maghreb-SSA relations. Significance Links between countries in the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have been growing steadily over the past decade. In different ways, Morocco and Algeria have both established themselves as essential partners for West Africa. Impacts The rivalry between Algeria and Morocco will play out in African political and economic engagement, notably over Western Sahara. However, sub-Saharan governments will remain uninterested in taking sides and will seek to maintain good relations with both Maghreb powers. Morocco might like to rejoin the African Union (AU), but does not regard this as sufficient reason to climb down on Western Sahara. Trans-Saharan drugs and people trafficking will remain a major concern.

Universities fail to meet African skills requirements

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Research Output ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Capital Investments ◽  
Donor Funding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Funding ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Mathematics Research

Subject Outlook for universities in sub-Saharan Africa. Significance Last month, the World Bank warned that population growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) -- from 1.16 billion in 2015 to 1.63 billion in 2030 -- spells a demographic "disaster" if states fail to make sufficient human capital investments. The growing numbers accessing tertiary education -- from 200,000 in 1970 to 10 million today -- might suggest improvement, but in fact has overstretched resources. Impacts University research output orientates towards medical concerns given the strong influence of donor funding. The lack of science, technology, energy and mathematics research hampers commercial R&D, hurting economic diversification. South Africa's recent tuition fee freeze will exacerbate university funding woes, spurring research and capital budget cuts. Low rates of formal job creation, coupled with rising enrolment, will exacerbate disaffection among the young.

scholarly journals Conservation research output in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing, but only in a few countries

Oryx ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
P. Christy Pototsky ◽  
Will Cresswell
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Search Term ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
North American Country ◽  
Conservation Research ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract We tested if peer-reviewed conservation research output has increased in sub-Saharan African countries over the last 30 years in response to increased development. We carried out a bibliometric analysis to identify the number of conservation research papers published by national authors of 41 sub-Saharan African countries during 1987–2017, to provide an index of national conservation research output. We identified country-specific development factors influencing these totals, using general linear modelling. There were positive relationships between conservation research output and population size, GDP, literacy rate, international tourism receipts and population growth rate, and negative relationships with urban population and agricultural land cover, in total explaining 77% of variation. Thirty-eight per cent of countries contributed < 30 conservation research papers (of 12,701) in 30 years. Analysis of trends in primary authorship in a random subsample of 2,374 of these papers showed that primary authorship by sub-Saharan African authors has increased significantly over time but is now at a lower rate than primary authorship for authors from countries outside the country associated with the search term, usually a European or North American country. Overall, 46% of papers had national primary authors, but 67% of these were South African. The results show that conservation research output in sub-Saharan Africa overall is increasing but only significantly in a few countries, and is still dominated by non-national scientists, probably as a result of a lack of socio-economic development.

scholarly journals BioLPG for Clean Cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Present and Future Feasibility of Technologies, Feedstocks, Enabling Conditions and Financing

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3916
Author(s):  
Kimball C. Chen ◽  
Matthew Leach ◽  
Mairi J. Black ◽  
Meron Tesfamichael ◽  
Francis Kemausuor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Waste ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
Energy Access ◽  
Liquefied Petroleum Gas ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Private Sector Investment ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Public And Private Sector

Energy supply for clean cooking is a priority for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, i.e., propane or butane or a mixture of both) is an economically efficient, cooking energy solution used by over 2.5 billion people worldwide and scaled up in numerous low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Investigation of the technical, policy, economic and physical requirements of producing LPG from renewable feedstocks (bioLPG) finds feasibility at scale in Africa. Biogas and syngas from the circular economic repurposing of municipal solid waste and agricultural waste can be used in two groundbreaking new chemical processes (Cool LPG or Integrated Hydropyrolysis and Hydroconversion (IH2)) to selectively produce bioLPG. Evidence about the nature and scale potential of bioLPG presented in this study justifies further investment in the development of bioLPG as a fuel that can make a major contribution toward enabling an SSA green economy and universal energy access. Techno-economic assessments of five potential projects from Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda illustrate what might be possible. BioLPG technology is in the early days of development, so normal technology piloting and de-risking need to be undertaken. However, fully developed bioLPG production could greatly reduce the public and private sector investment required to significantly increase SSA clean cooking capacity.

Cross-cultural communication imperatives

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 170-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Baba Abugre
Keyword(s):  
Business Environment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Work Outcomes ◽  
Cultural Communication ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose Given the rising expansion of Western multinational companies (MNCs) to the African contexts, the development of expatriates and local employees has become increasingly important to the human resource management of these MNCs. This paper aims to provide critical lessons on cross-cultural communication competences for Western expatriates working in the sub-Saharan Africa business environment. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a qualitative phenomenology that makes use of lived experiences of senior expatriate staff working in Ghana in the form of direct interviews. Findings Results showed that cross-cultural communication competence is very important for Western expatriates’ functioning in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings also established a plethora of cross-cultural communication skills that are essential for Western expatriates’ successful adaptation and work outcomes in Africa. Practical implications This research argues that there is the need for the appreciations of the differing cultural patterns of expatriates and local staff, and this provides the underlying assumptions of intercultural and cross-cultural communication in global business. Originality/value A critical perspective of international business that has scarcely been studied offers lessons for Western expatriates working in sub-Saharan Africa.

A comparison of global suicide terrorism by region before and after 9/11 terrorist attacks

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmet Guler ◽  
Mustafa Demir
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Interrupted Time Series ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Terrorist Attacks ◽  
Suicide Terrorism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Global Terrorism Database

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on suicide terrorism in different regions of the world and changes in the trends in suicide terrorism according to regions before and after 9/11. Design/methodology/approach Using the data obtained from the Global Terrorism Database from 1981 to 2019, the descriptive statistics were computed first and then, independent samples t-tests were run to compare the monthly mean percentage of suicide-terrorism incidents that occurred in each region between the pre-9/11 and the post-9/11 periods. Finally, to statistically assess the effect of the 9/11 attacks and changes in the trends for the dependent variables over time, monthly interrupted time-series analyzes were conducted. Findings The results of monthly interrupted time series analyzes showed that after the 9/11 attacks, the trends for suicide-terrorism rates decreased significantly in three regions including South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa and Europe, while the trend for suicide-terrorism rates increased significantly in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, no statistically significant changes in the trends in suicide-terrorism rates occurred in three regions including North America, East Asia and Central Asia and Southeast Asia before 9/11, during November 2001 or after 9/11. Originality/value This study indicates the critical importance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in suicide terrorism and its impact on these events in different regions of the world. The research also provides some recommendations concerning the effectiveness of defensive and offensive counterterrorism policies against suicide terrorism.

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