African indebtedness is critical but still reversible

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lost Decade ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Republic ◽  
External Borrowing ◽  
Imminent Risk ◽  
The Imf

Subject African debt crisis? Significance Two decades after large-scale debt cancellation began in Sub-Saharan Africa, around one-third of the region’s countries have returned to, or are at imminent risk of, debt distress, according to the IMF. This has increased concerns of a repeat of a 1980s-style debt crisis, which ushered in the region’s fabled ‘lost decade’. Impacts The Republic of the Congo's prospects of restructuring its commercial debts have increased after its recent bailout agreement with the IMF. A speedy resolution to Mozambique’s debt crisis is unlikely after a recent domestic court ruling against its Eurobond-related debt. The recent fall in external borrowing reflects tightened market conditions more than reduced debt appetite, and may reverse in better times.

EU will pursue North Africa migration deals

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Extreme Right ◽  
Far Right ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Eu

Subject EU-North Africa migration deals. Significance Large-scale migration movements from Sub-Saharan Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have challenged European governments in recent years, including stoking support for far-right/populist parties such as the French Front National, the Alternative for Germany, and the Austrian and Dutch freedom parties. Impacts EU member states’ ability to control the EU’s external borders is central to seeing off populist parties and restoring support for the EU. If Europeans believe their governments cannot control immigration, support for the extreme right will again increase. Were the far-right to come to power on the continent, the EU -- and its single market -- could be imperilled. However, high migration is unlikely to reorder EU politics to the benefit of the extreme right in the medium term.

scholarly journals Calculative measures of organising and decision-making in developing countries: the case of a quasi-formal organisation in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Agyemang ◽  
Kelum Jayasinghe ◽  
Pawan Adhikari ◽  
Abongeh Tunyi ◽  
Simon Carmel
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Traditional Setting

PurposeThis paper examines how a “quasi-formal” organisation in a developing country engages in informal means of organising and decision-making through the use of calculative measures.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a case study of a large-scale indigenous manufacturing company in Ghana. Data for the study were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews conducted both onsite and off-site, supplemented by informal conversations and documentary analysis. Weber's notions of rationalities and traditionalism informed the analysis.FindingsThe paper advances knowledge about the practical day-to-day organisation of resources and the associated substantive rational calculative measures used for decision-making in quasi-formal organisations operating in a traditional setting. Instead of formal rational organisational mechanisms such as hierarchical organisational structures, production planning, labour controls and budgetary practices, the organisational mechanisms are found to be shaped by institutional and structural conditions which result from historical, sociocultural and traditional practices of Ghanaian society. These contextual substantive rational calculative measures consist of the native lineage system of inheritance, chieftaincy, trust and the power concealed within historically established sociocultural practices.Originality/valueThis paper is one of a few studies providing evidence of how local and traditional social practices contribute to shaping organising and decision-making activities in indigenous “quasi-formal” organisations. The paper extends our understanding of the nexus between “technical rational” calculative measures and the traditional culture and social practices prevailing in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and Ghana in particular.

Prospects for Africa's economies in 2016

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Price ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Conditions ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Imf

Subject Prospects for Africa's economies in 2016 Significance Since the oil price dropped in mid-2014, the IMF has repeatedly downsized growth expectations for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with this year now expected to be the region's slowest-growing in more than a decade. Next year, absent an improvement in external conditions, African policymakers will face tough choices on currencies and spending priorities to limit the deepening domestic repercussions.

Effort to curb illicit logging in Africa to fall short

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Tropical Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Change Mitigation

Subject Outlook for deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa. Significance The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's World Forestry Congress last week said that the world has lost 129 million hectares (ha) of forested area since 1990, mainly in tropical Africa and South America. Three of the ten states with the fastest declines since 2010 are in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), due to demand for wood-fuel and timber for export. Much of the timber is traded illicitly, depriving states of revenue. Impacts Large-scale deforestation could undermine long-term climate change mitigation; forests are critical for absorbing carbon dioxide. The depletion of reserves of rare trees such as Madagascan rosewood will raise its value over time, boosting demand. Gabon's afforestation push -- it has gained 200,000 ha since 2010 due to state programmes -- will support eco-tourism.

Prospects for African economies in 2017

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fiscal Adjustments ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Macroeconomic Stability ◽  
The Imf

Subject Prospects for African economies in 2017. Significance The IMF anticipates a modest economic recovery in sub-Saharan Africa for 2017, after 2016 produced the lowest growth on the continent in more than two decades. GDP in 2017 is expected to rise by a modest average of 2.9%, just sufficient to stabilise average per capita incomes. Prospects vary significantly across the continent; however, all countries still need to complete politically difficult fiscal adjustments initiated in 2016 to restore macroeconomic stability and deepen resilience.

Off-grid solar power will spur African electrification

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mobile Money ◽  
Solar Systems ◽  
Sub Saharan

Significance Home solar panels are providing electricity to households in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that otherwise may not link to grids in the near-to-medium term. Just as households managed to bypass formal financial penetration through the introduction of mobile money and landline telephones by the proliferation of mobile phones, home solar systems are poised to offer affordable electricity as costs drop. Impacts Off-grid solar power will improve the health of households that move away from burning fuels for energy. Growth in electricity could improve economic growth while also providing benefits not captured by GDP. While home solar panels could reduce carbon emissions, large-scale power projects will play a bigger role in overall emissions.

African election monitoring will need domestic focus

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Quality Of Democracy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Limited Impact ◽  
Electronic Vote ◽  
Election Monitoring ◽  
Election Observation ◽  
Sub Saharan

Subject Election monitoring in Africa Significance While electoral commissions are adopting biometric software and electronic vote transmission systems, international monitors continue to rely on manual processes. At the same time, election observation missions often fail to declare that clearly manipulated processes are "unfree and unfair". As a result, they have only a limited impact on the activities of ruling parties and electoral commissions in many countries. Impacts Allegations of election rigging are likely to mar upcoming polls in Angola, Chad and Kenya. International involvement in elections are unlikely to reverse the recent decline in the quality of democracy in sub-Saharan Africa. Investments in large-scale domestic monitoring, and the strengthening of party agents, will be necessary to reduce electoral manipulation.

Conflicts in Biafra, Katanga and Cabinda as a result of the geopolitical legacy of colonialism

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (10-3) ◽  
pp. 238-246
Author(s):  
Olga Dzhenchakova
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Economic Factor ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact

The article considers the impact of the colonial past of some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and its effect on their development during the post-colonial period. The negative consequences of the geopolitical legacy of colonialism are shown on the example of three countries: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Angola, expressed in the emergence of conflicts in these countries based on ethno-cultural, religious and socio-economic contradictions. At the same time, the focus is made on the economic factor and the consequences of the consumer policy of the former metropolises pursuing their mercantile interests were mixed.

scholarly journals Precision Agriculture for Resource Use Efficiency in Smallholder Farming Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1158
Author(s):  
Cecilia M. Onyango ◽  
Justine M. Nyaga ◽  
Johanna Wetterlind ◽  
Mats Söderström ◽  
Kristin Piikki
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
English Language ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Sub Saharan

Opportunities exist for adoption of precision agriculture technologies in all parts of the world. The form of precision agriculture may vary from region to region depending on technologies available, knowledge levels and mindsets. The current review examined research articles in the English language on precision agriculture practices for increased productivity among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 7715 articles were retrieved and after screening 128 were reviewed. The results indicate that a number of precision agriculture technologies have been tested under SSA conditions and show promising results. The most promising precision agriculture technologies identified were the use of soil and plant sensors for nutrient and water management, as well as use of satellite imagery, GIS and crop-soil simulation models for site-specific management. These technologies have been shown to be crucial in attainment of appropriate management strategies in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of resource use in SSA. These technologies are important in supporting sustainable agricultural development. Most of these technologies are, however, at the experimental stage, with only South Africa having applied them mainly in large-scale commercial farms. It is concluded that increased precision in input and management practices among SSA smallholder farmers can significantly improve productivity even without extra use of inputs.

Intraclass Correlation Coefficients for Designing Cluster-Randomized Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 500-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Kelcey ◽  
Zuchao Shen ◽  
Jessaca Spybrook
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Randomized Trials ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Education Outcomes ◽  
Randomized Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Variance Explained

Objective: Over the past two decades, the lack of reliable empirical evidence concerning the effectiveness of educational interventions has motivated a new wave of research in education in sub-Saharan Africa (and across most of the world) that focuses on impact evaluation through rigorous research designs such as experiments. Often these experiments draw on the random assignment of entire clusters, such as schools, to accommodate the multilevel structure of schooling and the theory of action underlying many school-based interventions. Planning effective and efficient school randomized studies, however, requires plausible values of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the variance explained by covariates during the design stage. The purpose of this study was to improve the planning of two-level school-randomized studies in sub-Saharan Africa by providing empirical estimates of the ICC and the variance explained by covariates for education outcomes in 15 countries. Method: Our investigation drew on large-scale representative samples of sixth-grade students in 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and includes over 60,000 students across 2,500 schools. We examined two core education outcomes: standardized achievement in reading and mathematics. We estimated a series of two-level hierarchical linear models with students nested within schools to inform the design of two-level school-randomized trials. Results: The analyses suggested that outcomes were substantially clustered within schools but that the magnitude of the clustering varied considerably across countries. Similarly, the results indicated that covariance adjustment generally reduced clustering but that the prognostic value of such adjustment varied across countries.

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