19 October 2022
Migrants’ gifts: On top of the money they send (605bn USD worldwide in 2021), migrants bring consumer goods as gifts when they return home. In fact, the migrants – perceived to be economically better off and enjoying higher status – are obliged to do so: family and friends expect them. These gifts reflect the belief that things from abroad (from “white men’s land”) are of better quality, which is a negative thing. And then, while monetary remittances means transfer of money from abroad to the country of origin and can thus “help development back home”, “(g)ifts do the opposite – the money to acquire them is spent in the developed economy.” On top of them, they travel to Ghana as “hidden imports” and “are neither taxed, nor accounted for.” But seen the social obligation, it will be impossible to stop the practice.
https://theconversation.com/why-migrants-bring-gifts-from-abroad-a-sense-of-obligation-and-a-fear-of-social-backlash-192451
Somalia: Two suicide bombings, probably by al-Shabab, have killed a yet unknown number of people, among them the District Commissioner and city mayor in Jalalaqsi town (Hiiraan region) and destroyed a key bridge in Bulo-burde town (also Hiiraan region) over the Shabelle River, linking central and southern regions.
BBC Africa Live 19 October 2022. 17:39
Cameroon: Several groups of “Franckistes” advocate Paul Biya’s son Franck Biya as successor of his now 89-year-old father. Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with family or with “retaining political power in one family” – it is only about “making Cameroon better than before”.
BBC Africa Live 19 October 2022. 8:31
Congo-Kinshasa: Gold-mining in the country’s north-east is threatening the okapi’s habitat, the only relative of the giraffe, also called forest giraffe and considered an endangered species. Beyond the forest giraffes, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve’s “unique forest ecosystem” and the communities that depend on it are said to be under threat from expansion of (illegal) mining.
BBC Africa Live 19 October 2022. 4:34
18 October 2022
Rwanda: To curb teenage pregnancies, a group of parliamentarians had introduced a bill allowing girls 15 years and older access to contraceptives – but it was rejected for “faith, social and cultural reasons”. Under existing rules, for access to sexual and reproductive health services, under-18-year-olds “are required to be accompanied by parents for their approval” – “a very huge barrier”.
BBC Africa Live 18 October 2022. 11:06
Lake Turkana/Kenya: Drought has reigned in north-western Kenya for four rainy seasons/two years. Yet Lake Turkana is expanding, “sometimes slowly, sometimes in flash floods”, expanding by 10% over the last decade, swallowing an estimated 800 km2 of land. The swelling of the lake is caused by record rains that fell a couple of years back in those lands that feed the lake. And “(d)eforestation in the highlands has meant that water runs through the system much faster to fill Lake Turkana”, causing floods that have swept away whole villages.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63278497
Land reform/South Africa: To small farmers, land is not only an economic asset, it has other uses and values. And farmers are not self-reliant and autonomous economic actors, but rely on social networks. Economic and financial survival is part of a social context where relations with the amadlozi (ancestors) are important and which include life-cycle events such as weddings and funerals – ceremonial expenses can put a strain on farming. The author’s research has shown that “successful small farming depends on diversified income sources and secure distributional networks.” Land reform will not work unless such non-economic aspects of small-scale farming are taken seriously.
https://theconversation.com/land-reform-in-south-africa-is-failing-ignoring-the-realities-of-rural-life-plays-a-part-190452
Chibok/Nigeria: In the article’s author’s view, it was “the hard work of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign” – Twitter’s most used hashtag for some time – that brought about “the global popularity of the Chibok girls case”, but its framing lacked nuance. As the return of some of the freed Chibok girls to their abductors shows. Also, the focus exclusively on the Chibok case did harm, preventing a broader approach to the Boko Haram problem. We should listen carefully – “witness accounts and testimonial narratives have the potential to offer deeper insights”. “Without understanding the nuances of this violence, we cannot begin to solve it.”
https://theconversation.com/chibok-kidnappings-why-its-important-to-listen-to-the-survivors-of-boko-haram-terrorism-192271
Hunger/Africa: Covid, the Ukraine war and extreme weather events caused by climate change “have slowed – or even reversed – decades of progress in improving food security and nutrition”. The article’s authors – co-editors of the recent Africa Agriculture Status Report – believe that something like the Asian Green Revolution is needed for Africa to prevent or at least reduce hunger. “Urgent action is needed to anticipate megatrends, rally political will, mobilise investments and strengthen capacity.” True cost accounting is necessary so as to be able to plan on a correct basis. Then megatrends need to be anticipated – by no means easy in a world of “a moving target”. Sufficient financing is essential, as is good leadership – with efficient cooperation of all stakeholders. Finally, capacity and capability development will be needed.
https://theconversation.com/towards-zero-hunger-in-africa-5-steps-to-achieve-food-security-192405
Zambia/Ghana: Judging by the USD foreign exchange rate, Zambia has done very well of late (in 2022, no other country in the world has gained more than the kwacha, 15%) while Ghana has done worst world-wide (losing 48% in value against the USD over the past 12 months). In Zambia, the new president has re-established foreign investor confidence, getting the foreign debt situation under control and concluding a contract with the IMF. In Ghana, inflation stood at 37.2% in September and foreign investors have lost confidence, dumping “Ghanaian dollar-denominated bonds from their portfolios”. Accra is in the process of negotiating an IMF loan.
BBC Africa Live 18 October 2022. 14:39