scholarly journals The Ineffectiveness and Inadequacies of International Instruments in Combatting and Ending the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Environmental Degradation in Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avitus A. Agbor
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
International Law ◽  
Hazardous Wastes ◽  
One Dimension ◽  
African Continent ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Laws And Policies ◽  
The Masses ◽  
International Instruments ◽  
Poor Management

Despite the fact that international instruments prohibit such activities, recent recurrent incidents involving the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes on the African continent highlight their inadequacies and ineffectiveness of international law in solving this problem. Despite some noticeable milestones achieved by the Bamako Convention, its shortcomings are conspicuous. In addition, the ban on transboundary movement of hazardous wastes is simply one dimension of the bigger problem faced by (many poor) African countries: poor management of the environment that ranges from water and air pollution, poor disposal of wastes, improper and inadequate treatment of domestically generated hazardous wastes, congestion, noise, and dumping. These international instruments deal with only a dimension of the problem faced by African states. It is argued that additional measures must be taken to complement these efforts. Such measures include the enactment of strong laws and policies, education of the masses and a virile civil society.

Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes in International Law: The Special Case of the Mediterranean Area

1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Cubel
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
International Law ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Hazardous Wastes ◽  
Basel Convention ◽  
African Caribbean ◽  
Waste Trade ◽  
International Instruments ◽  
Special Case ◽  
Transboundary Movements

AbstractSince the early 1980s different organisations have tried to enact international instruments to control international waste trade. The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal was adopted in 1989 under the auspices of UNEP in order to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects which may result from the management of waste involved in transboundary movements of hazardous waste and its disposal. The Basel Convention has evolved significantly in eight years-whereas only 35 states and the EC signed the Convention at the time of its adoption, more than 113 states have ratified it as to August 1997. Several other instruments have been developed under the Basel Convention influence. Among those treaties that have been adopted, two deserve special attention. First, the Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa adopted in 1991 under the auspices of OAU. Second, the Fourth Lomé Convention adopted by the EC and its member states and 69 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. The first part of this article is devoted to a comparative analysis of those three Conventions. The second part of this article gives an objective analysis of the substantive regulation of the Izmir Protocol while criticising diverse aspects and proposing alternatives in view of the conventions treated in the preceding part.

scholarly journals Modelling COVID-19 transmission in Africa: countrywise projections of total and severe infections under different lockdown scenarios

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e044149
Author(s):  
Isabel Frost ◽  
Jessica Craig ◽  
Gilbert Osena ◽  
Stephanie Hauck ◽  
Erta Kalanxhi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Compartmental Model ◽  
African Continent ◽  
Economic Costs ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Exponential Increase ◽  
Progression Of Disease ◽  
Severe Infections ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Hiv Aids

ObjectivesAs of 13 January 2021, there have been 3 113 963 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 and 74 619 deaths across the African continent. Despite relatively lower numbers of cases initially, many African countries are now experiencing an exponential increase in case numbers. Estimates of the progression of disease and potential impact of different interventions are needed to inform policymaking decisions. Herein, we model the possible trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 in 52 African countries under different intervention scenarios.DesignWe developed a compartmental model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to estimate the COVID-19 case burden for all African countries while considering four scenarios: no intervention, moderate lockdown, hard lockdown and hard lockdown with continued restrictions once lockdown is lifted. We further analysed the potential impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations affected by HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB).ResultsIn the absence of an intervention, the most populous countries had the highest peaks in active projected number of infections with Nigeria having an estimated 645 081 severe infections. The scenario with a hard lockdown and continued post-lockdown interventions to reduce transmission was the most efficacious strategy for delaying the time to the peak and reducing the number of cases. In South Africa, projected peak severe infections increase from 162 977 to 2 03 261, when vulnerable populations with HIV/AIDS and TB are included in the analysis.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly spreading across the African continent. Estimates of the potential impact of interventions and burden of disease are essential for policymakers to make evidence-based decisions on the distribution of limited resources and to balance the economic costs of interventions with the potential for saving lives.

Space Debris Mitigation as an International Law Obligation

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-335
Author(s):  
Lawrence Li
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Space Debris ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
International Responsibility ◽  
International Liability ◽  
International Instruments ◽  
Space Activities ◽  
Proper Interpretation ◽  
Debris Mitigation

Human space activities have grown rapidly in recent decades, but the international legal framework, comprising of the five space treaties, has largely remained unchanged since the 1980s. One of the consequences is that international responsibility and liability for space debris, which is a major hazard to space activities, have also remained uncertain for years. Nonetheless, States have responded to these problems by implementing national voluntary measures. More importantly, two major non-binding international instruments have been laid down by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee and the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, respectively. This article argues that, in light of recent States practice established under these international instruments, and a proper interpretation of the space treaties, it has been recognised by the international community that States are obliged to mitigate the generation of space debris, a failure of which will lead to international liability.

Climate Displacement and the Legal Gymnastics of Justice: Is It All Political?

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-312
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Simonelli
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
International Law ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Legal Analysis ◽  
Refugee Convention ◽  
Legal Remedy ◽  
The Future ◽  
Law And Justice ◽  
International Instruments

AbstractThe future for people becoming displaced due to climate processes is still unknown. The effects of climate change are more apparent every day, and those most acutely impacted are still unable to access an appropriate legal remedy for their woes. Two new books evaluate the limits to international legal protections and the application of justice. Climate Change, Disasters, and the Refugee Convention, by Matthew Scott, investigates the assumptions underpinning the dichotomy between refugees and those facing adversity due to climate-induced disasters. Climate Change and People on the Move: International Law and Justice, by Fanny Thornton, goes further by examining how justice is used—and curtailed—by international instruments of protection. Thornton's legal analysis is thorough and thoughtful, but also demonstrative of the limitations of justice when confined by historical precedent and political indifference. With so little still being done to hold industries to account, is it any surprise that the legal system is not yet ready to protect those harmed by carbon pollution? Demanding justice for climate displacees is an indictment of modern Western economics and development; it implicates entire national lifestyles and the institutions and people that support them.

Determinants influencing inbound arrivals to Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 856-883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armand Viljoen ◽  
Andrea Saayman ◽  
Melville Saayman
Keyword(s):  
Developed Countries ◽  
African Continent ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Dynamic Panel ◽  
Geographical Factors ◽  
Telecommunication Infrastructure ◽  
Foreign Tourism ◽  
Tourism Arrivals

The goal of this research was to investigate the determinants that influence foreign tourism arrivals to the African continent, firstly as a collective and secondly in different regions, with the aim to foster a greater understanding of how African countries and regions can grow their tourism economies. Using static and dynamic panel estimators, two key findings were identified from this research: (1) tourism to the continent is influenced by income in developed countries, prices, telecommunication infrastructure and geographical factors as well as conservation efforts and (2) the regions in Africa do not all react the same to changes in these factors.

scholarly journals In the Wake of TICAD V: Japan-Africa Relations Today

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-173
Author(s):  
István Tarrósy
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Reference Point ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
African Continent ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Bilateral Aid ◽  
African Development ◽  
Business Opportunities ◽  
Major Donors

Abstract The paper looks at how Japan, one of the major donors of African countries, has been redefining its positions on the African continent in terms of bilateral aid and business opportunities, triangular collaboration and multilateral development projects in an increasingly ‘interpolar’ world of international relations. The discussion includes China's expanding presence all over Africa as an important ‘reference point’ for the Japanese public at large and how that may influence Japanese pragmatic foreign policy towards the continent and Japan's involvement in African development. What are Japan's priorities in the wake of hosting the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) early in June 2013 in Yokohama? How does Japan go along with its confident manner of inclusive development and ownership in African societies when at the same time it is challenged by China and other emerging actors? What are the items on Japan's agenda for a re-intensified Africa policy?

scholarly journals HIV/AIDS research in Africa and the Middle East: participation and equity in North-South collaborations and relationships.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregorio González-Alcaide ◽  
Marouane Menchi-Elanzi ◽  
Edy Nacarapa ◽  
José-Manuel Ramos-Rincón
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Scientific Activity ◽  
Scientific Production ◽  
African Continent ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Global North ◽  
Aids Research ◽  
Public Health Epidemiology ◽  
Hiv Aids

Abstract Background HIV/AIDS has attracted considerable research attention since the 1980s. In the current context of globalization and the predominance of cooperative work, it is crucial to analyze the participation of the countries and regions where the infection is most prevalent, African continent being the hardest hit (67.5% of estimated cases). This study assesses the participation of African countries in publications on the topic, as well as the degree of equity or influence existing in North-South relations.Methods We identified all articles and reviews of HIV/AIDS indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. We analyzed the scientific production, collaboration, and contributions from African and Middle Eastern countries to scientific activity in the region. The concept of leadership was used to determine the equity in research produced through international collaboration.Results A total of 68,808 documents published from 2010 to 2017 were analyzed. Researchers from North America and Europe participated in 82.14% of the global scientific production on HIV/AIDS, compared to just 21.61% from Africa and the Middle East. Furthermore, the research that did come out of these regions was concentrated in a small number of countries, led by South Africa (41% of the documents). Other features associated with HIV/AIDS research from Africa include the importance of international collaboration from the USA, the UK, and other European countries (75%-93% of the documents) and the limited leadership that is evident (30% to 36% of the documents). Finally, the research to which African countries contributed had a notably different disciplinary orientation, with a predominance of research on public health, epidemiology, and drug therapy.Conclusions It is essential to foster more balance in research output, avoid the concentration of resources that reproduces the global North-South model on the African continent, and focus the research agenda on local priorities. To accomplish this, the global North should strengthen the transfer of research skills and seek equity in cooperative ties, favoring the empowerment of African countries. These efforts should be concentrated in countries with low scientific activity and high incidence and prevalence of the disease. It is also essential to foster intraregional collaborations between African countries.

scholarly journals High speed internet development in Africa using 4G-LTE technology-a review

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 577-585
Author(s):  
Mohamed Njikam ◽  
Nanna S. ◽  
Shahrin S. ◽  
Mohd Fairuz Iskandar Othman
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Telecommunication Networks ◽  
African Continent ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Lte Networks ◽  
Telecommunication Infrastructure ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Populated Region ◽  
4G Lte ◽  
Internet Development

The African continent is ranked second most populated region and has a huge amount of natural resources to be locally transformed or outsourced overseas. The traditional telecommunications system has helped connect people and enabled them to manage their businesses and trading in Africa for a long-time; many African countries have embarked early in changing their network and technology systems during the first years of the information age. Over a few decades ago, the introduction of new telecommunication methods and techniques have influenced much of African countries’ growth via different perspectives. The situation has triggered an enormous interest in people. They analyzed the factors supporting such changes, which in the case of this paper is all about the advent and adoption of LTE/4G-LTE technologies including its service commercialization in Africa. This review article attempts to provide an overview of 4G-LTE networks technologies and the internet; it includes the current evolution of telecommunication networks within and even beyond the African continent, assisted by the 4G-LTE expansion. An extended view is provided throughout this article’s development with respect to what could be expected (or is missing) for the sake of this continent’s telecommunication infrastructure enhancement and a better QoS to Africa’s dwellers.

scholarly journals Политика администрации Д.Трампа в отношении Африки

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 101-108
Author(s):  
Хлопов О.А
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
African Continent ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
The Us ◽  
Military Security

The article reveals the reasons for the formation and change of the US policy towards African countries during the period of the activity of the President D. Trump. The author analyzes the features and reveals the directions of US policy towards the African continent: economic cooperation, assistance programs in the field of strengthening the socio-political stability of military security and the fight against terrorism. Under the new administration of J. Biden, the United States will have to reckon with the changes taking place in Africa and revise a number of principles of selective engagement with African countries.

scholarly journals Effects of Air Pollution on the Vital Capacity of Commercial Motorcyclists in Nigeria Population

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
G. U. Ezeja ◽  
C. U. Onwudiwe ◽  
O. D. Nwodo ◽  
G. Umahi-Ottah ◽  
N. D. Nwobodo
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Vital Capacity ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Test Group ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
Control Group ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Measuring Device ◽  
The Mean

Background: Ambient air pollution is a serious challenge to human health in most West African countries including Nigeria. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effects of dust inhalation on the vital capacity of commercial motorcyclists in Abakaliki metropolis. Methods: 200 subjects participated in this study, 100 commercial motorcyclists (test group) and 100 non-motorcyclists (control group). The mean ± S.D of their age, height and weight were calculated. Vital capacity was measured using a spirometer. A questionnaire and consent form was filled by every participant before the commencement of the study. A handheld laser dust measuring device called air sampler PCE-PCO 1 was used to analyze the quantity, quality and sizes of particulate matters present in the research area. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; Mean and standard deviations were calculated and the Z-test was used to test if the mean were significantly different. Level of significance was set at 95%. Results: The age of participants were within the range of 25 – 30 years. Commercial motorcyclists were exposed to particulate matter 0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 µm. The vital capacity of commercial motorcyclists was significantly lower than that of non-motorcyclists (p =0.01). Furthermore, a significant decrease in the vital capacity of commercial motorcyclists was observed when correlated with the number of years spent in the job (p = 0.03). There was also a significant correlation between vital capacity and hours spent per week among commercial motorcyclists (r = 0.245). Conclusion: Commercial motorcyclists need to be encouraged to adopt respiratory health safety strategies like use of full-face helmets, practice of active cycle of breathing techniques and also, be educated on air pollution hazards by public health workers.

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