Africa Update Vol. 47
Welcome to the latest edition of Africa Update! We’ve got the etymological map of Africa, misleading narratives about artisanal mining in the DRC, strikes over the $38 monthly minimum wage in Angola, ethical research in South Sudan, and more.
West Africa: Ghana’s free secondary education programme has increased enrolment, but a lack of investment in teachers and classrooms means that students’ learning outcomes have suffered. Nurses in Nigeria are protesting a new policy which would ban them from working abroad for two years after they finish their training. Jeune Afrique has an interesting series of illustrations about the history of the Wagner Group in the Sahel.
Central Africa: In the DRC, narratives about “dirty” artisanal mining are being used by large-scale mining companies to obscure the poverty and violence of their own sites. Burundi’s quotas for female government ministers have increased women’s representation at the highest levels of government. Has the death toll from conflict and hunger in the CAR been underestimated by 75%? Thousands of security company employees from Uganda are preparing to sue the US companies who violated their wage agreements during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
East Africa: “As a refugee [in Kenya], I was not permitted in [Nairobi,] but curiosity had turned me into a fugitive, and I proudly flaunted the law.” The UAE is bankrolling the ongoing conflict in Sudan, where 95% of people can no longer afford one full meal per day. As violence continues across Ethiopia, including government drone strikes in Amhara region and extrajudicial killings in Oromiya region, President Abiy is trying to burnish his image with vanity projects in Addis.
Southern Africa: Here’s the case for a basic income grant in South Africa. In Angola, civil servants went on strike last month to protest the low minimum wage of only USD 38 per month. Civil society groups in Zimbabwe are protesting the deployment of new CCTV cameras in Bulawayo without adequate privacy protections.
Energy + environment: This was an interesting long read about how the 1970s oil crisis helped Kenya unlock its geothermal energy potential. Energy prices in Ethiopia dropped significantly once the Grand Renaissance Dam came online, and the country is taking advantage of this to launch data centres for Bitcoin mining. El Niño weather variations and climate change are hitting the maize harvest in southern Africa, leading to estimated reductions of 22% in Malawi and over 70% in Zimbabwe this year.
Research + conferences: What’s the state of political science in Africa? Don’t miss these insightful reflections on ethical research practices in South Sudan or this piece on the advantages and disadvantages of development RCTs in Kenya. Submit your application for CODESRIA’s 6th summer school in African studies in Senegal by 31 May 2024.
Cheers,
Rachel