An Africanist Perspective

An Africanist Perspective provides in-depth analysis of African political economy, governance, and international relations, with a focus on economic challenges, political instability, elections, foreign policy dynamics, governance reforms, and regional security issues. It evaluates Africa's interactions with global powers, development strategies, and geopolitical shifts.

Political Economy Governance and Democracy International Relations Economic Development Regional Security Foreign Policy Electoral Politics Conflict and Peacebuilding Infrastructure and Industrialization Resource Management Healthcare Systems Agricultural Policy

The hottest Substack posts of An Africanist Perspective

And their main takeaways

Making sense of Ethiopia's Tigray conflict

118 implied HN points • 27 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Conflict International relations
  1. The Tigray conflict in Ethiopia reveals the importance of understanding its historical origins to find lasting peace, rather than simplifying it as a battle between good and evil.
  2. The conflict resulted in immense human suffering and loss, with over 600,000 casualties and significant destruction, hindering the country's progress for years to come.
  3. The international dimension of the conflict, characterized by external involvement and geopolitical interests, played a significant role in shaping the course of the war and its resolution.

Claims about USAID's localization agenda

79 implied HN points • 09 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid Localization NGOs
  1. The majority of USAID funding goes to big American companies and NGOs, raising concerns about lack of direct support to local organizations in developing countries.
  2. USAID aims to allocate at least 25% of funding to local organizations, highlighting the need for capacity building and better collaboration with local partners.
  3. Challenges in USAID's localization initiative include arbitrary overhead limitations, cost expectations, and legal hurdles, emphasizing the importance of listening to feedback from local partners.

The Future of Sino-Africa Relations

59 implied HN points • 03 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Economic Development Geopolitics
  1. Bureaucratic competence is crucial in fostering successful partnerships between China and African countries. China can support African nations in developing effective governmental structures to improve economic growth and avoid corruption.
  2. Investing in African agriculture presents a win-win scenario for both China and African countries. Enhancing agricultural productivity can lead to economic development, food security, and reduction of trade deficits.
  3. China can enhance Sino-African relations by actively involving African countries in Chinese value chains, boosting investments in African human capital, and gaining a more nuanced understanding of African politics. These approaches can contribute to sustainable growth and positive partnerships.

What next for Equatorial Guinea after oil?

1 HN point • 20 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Natural resources Corruption
  1. Equatorial Guinea's over-reliance on oil has led to economic decline as oil production diminishes, highlighting the importance of diversification in post-oil strategies.
  2. Resource exploitation in African states can lead to significant challenges, such as corruption and lack of investment in non-resource sectors, requiring better ownership structures to maximize economic benefits.
  3. Corruption and opacity are prevalent in the natural resource sector, necessitating a focus on promoting domestic productive ownership of resources to counteract structural corruption and ensure wealth creation within the country.

The World Bank prepares for the polycrisis

0 implied HN points • 07 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Development Climate change
  1. The World Bank identifies a 'crisis of development' impacting global prosperity and sustainability.
  2. The World Bank aims to expand its mandate to address interconnected crises like climate change, pandemics, and migration.
  3. The Bank plans to increase work in middle income countries and revamp its country engagement model to align with its proposed changes.
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