East Africa infrastructure raises regional tensions

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Land Grabbing ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Business Elites ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Northern Kenya ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Infrastructure

Subject Regional infrastructure ambitions. Significance Plans for large-scale regional infrastructure projects have become vehicles for economic cooperation in East Africa over the past several years. However, behind the rhetoric of regional solidarity, such ventures have become a critical arena for power rivalries to play out. Impacts Infrastructure plans are exacerbating local conflicts in northern Kenya and driving new dynamics. Land grabbing is a trend across areas where new infrastructure is meant to be, tying political and business elites to original plans. Despite its ambitions to reduce reliance on Khartoum, South Sudan is not going to be a secure infrastructure partner for some time.

Local buy-in divides East Africa anti-terror efforts

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Security Operations

Significance Kenya has experienced far more militant violence than neighbouring Ethiopia or Uganda, although the militant group has targeted all three countries, and all three engage in military operations in Somalia against it. However, each has different security structures and approaches to countering terrorism and insurgency. Impacts Blowback from the Kenyan intervention damages prospects for large-scale infrastructure projects across the north. However, government and donor appetite on these projects will persist. The more authoritarian political systems in Uganda and Ethiopia give governments a stronger hand in security operations compared to Kenya.

Burundi reform hopes stand at a crossroads

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Infrastructure

Significance Since taking office last June, Ndayishimiye has taken small steps in this direction, but the progress and outlook remain mixed. Impacts Ndayishimiye’s attempts to mend ties with neighbouring Rwanda may enjoy the most success among his new initiatives. Burundi hopes a planned new rail link with Tanzania can help boost mining exports, but funding the USD1.9bn project may prove challenging. New infrastructure projects will be crucial for Burundi’s economy after years of anaemic growth, now exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prospects for East Africa in 2022

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past

Subject Prospects for East Africa in 2022. Significance The past year produced considerable political turbulence across East Africa. The coming year threatens to be even more volatile. Indeed, the region faces a period of almost unprecedented uncertainty. It looks almost certain that 2022 will bring major changes -- and potentially major disruptions -- in some of the region’s largest countries.

Long-run relationship between investment and maintenance in local governments

Facilities ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 703-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnt O. Hopland
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Reduced Form ◽  
Public Infrastructure ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vector Autoregressive ◽  
The Past ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
New Infrastructure

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to analyze the relationship between maintenance of existent and investment in new infrastructure in Norwegian local governments. Design/methodology/approach A reduced form vector autoregressive system is estimated using a 29-year-long panel data set for the Norwegian local governments. Findings The data reveal that increased investment in new infrastructure sparks little, if any, increase in maintenance. The results also indicate that increased maintenance expenditures spark new investments. Because more investments mean more infrastructure and adequate maintenance should give that investments are not caused by maintenance, the results suggest that the local governments have not optimized their maintenance scheduling in this period. Originality/value Even though maintenance and investment are large expenditures that both serve as inputs to the stock of infrastructure, little is known about the relationship between the two. The findings in this paper suggests that Norwegian local governments have not planned their maintenance and investments well in the past, and this can be part of the explanation as to why local public infrastructure in Norway is presently in poor condition.

Morocco's AU bid will reopen Western Sahara issue

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
East Africa ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Western Sahara ◽  
The Past

Significance Morocco has been seeking re-admittance to the AU and has spent the past two years courting its African neighbours. King Mohammed VI toured West Africa in 2014 and concluded 2016 with a tour of East Africa and a crucial visit to one of the continent's powerhouses -- Nigeria. Impacts Morocco will aim for more economic cooperation with Nigeria regardless of the AU summit outcome. Tension with Algeria, the SADR's main backer, will intensify. If Morocco wins re-entry into the AU, this will help ensure greater diplomatic coverage with other international bodies such as the UN.

Conde's election win risks violent protests in Guinea

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Commodity Prices ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
The State ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Opposition Parties

Significance The win secures Conde a second five-year term. However, opposition parties allege widespread fraud. They refuse to recognise the result and threaten large-scale protests. Impacts New Ebola cases will set back the country's eradication timeline, possibly pushing the crisis into a third year. Mining firms could cite this as a reason further to delay infrastructure projects while they await better commodity prices. News that Ebola persists in semen for up to nine months means men could be carriers even after they are proclaimed cured. The state is likely to increase its use of traditional healers to treat Ebola -- to help overcome primary healthcare deficits.

Colombia’s infrastructure expansion faces major delays

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Infrastructure Investment ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Caribbean Coast ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Investment Opportunities ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
New Infrastructure

Significance The claims follow the ANI’s announcement on February 22 that it would cancel the contract of an Odebrecht-led consortium to build the Ruta del Sol 2 highway, linking central Colombia to the Caribbean coast. Impacts The risk of potentially intrusive investigations will remain high for firms with commercial or contractual links to Odebrecht. Delays in completion of infrastructure projects could bring Colombia’s GDP growth rates for 2017 below the current forecasts of 2.7%. Later in the year, new infrastructure investment opportunities will open as corruptly awarded contracts are resubmitted for tender. Allegations that Santos’s 2014 election campaign received Odebrecht funding could harm his Party of the U in the 2018 election.

South Sudan's multiple conflicts will not subside

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Sudan ◽  
Humanitarian Aid ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Peace Agreement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
South Sudanese ◽  
The Government ◽  
Sudanese Refugees

Significance South Sudan is facing severe conflict and insecurity, a prolonged political crisis, and dire economic conditions. A peace agreement signed in August 2015 is falling apart, and fighting and violence during the past year has caused the number of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda to rise to 900,000 -- with a further 375,000 in Sudan and 287,000 in Ethiopia. Earlier this year, aid agencies declared a famine situation in several counties, and appealed for more humanitarian aid and improved access. Impacts Oil output is likely to remain at, or near, 130,000-160,000 barrels per day. Juba’s fiscal situation will remain precarious, with the government unable to secure loans from donors. Unrest and limited strikes over salary arrears could increase.

Prospects for East Africa and the Great Lakes in 2018

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
East Africa ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Term Limit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Conflicts ◽  
Moderate Growth ◽  
Republic Of The Congo

Subject Prospects for East Africa and the Great Lakes in 2018. Significance Questions of democratic legitimacy and transition will dominate the outlook for East Africa and the Great Lakes over the coming year, in the context of election controversies (Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya), constitutional term-limit issues (Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, Uganda) and deepening political conflicts (Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan). Receding economic headwinds will support a moderate growth recovery for several states (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda), but political risk will weigh on the outlook for others (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, South Sudan).

Do land transfers to international investors contribute to employment generation and local food security?

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1121-1138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bamlaku Alamirew ◽  
Harald Grethe ◽  
Khalid Hassan Ali Siddig ◽  
Tesfamicheal Wossen
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Average Treatment Effect ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Land Grabbing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employment Generation ◽  
International Investors

Purpose – Like many countries in the developing world, Ethiopia has leased out a huge amount of land to foreign investors. However, empirical evidence on the contribution of international investments to employment generation and food security is limited. The purpose of this paper is to examine the contribution of large-scale farms to local-level food security in Bako Tibe District, Oromia Region. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were collected from 200 randomly selected households from two purposefully selected villages in the district. Secondary data were collected from government offices and the literature. Propensity score matching was used to match households based on observable characteristics. Using the World Food Programme (WFP) approach, the food consumption score (FCS) of households was calculated. Finally, the Average Treatment effect for the Treated was determined. Findings – Findings indicate that foreign land deals increase the odds of households falling into food insecurity and that the employment opportunities are both temporal and marginal. Furthermore, these land deals result in a decline of households’ FCS and thus have a negative effect on households’ food security. Research limitations/implications – The result is based on a case study which is not generalizable to the whole of Ethiopia. Practical implications – The result implies that future endeavours should resort to substantial changes in the principles of investment as well as the design and enforcement of contracts on land transfers so that international investors can commit to objectives beyond private profit. Originality/value – It examines the effect of large-scale land transfers commonly termed as land grabbing on local food security. The paper makes an important contribution to the current policy debates regarding land grabbing in Ethiopia as research about the contribution of land deals to the food security is limited.

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