19 February 2022
Informal economy/Formal employment: 2 billion or more than 60% of the world’s working population work in the informal economy. “In theory, formal employment provides a more stable income, social protection and employment-related benefits.” But in fact, formal sector jobs are getting more and more precarious (i.e. insecure, badly paid and without paid sick leave or medical insurance) so that “formal work is (no longer) a guaranteed path to greater social equality.” It is estimated that the work of 4 out of 10 formal sector workers can be classified as precarious in South Africa. Labour broking is a case in point.
https://theconversation.com/why-formal-employment-is-not-a-guaranteed-path-to-social-equality-177251
Burkina Faso/USA: The State Department says it will freeze almost 160m USD in foreign aid to Burkina Faso because of the coup d’état end of January. “(A)ny release of funds to Burkina Faso will now be conditional on verified steps towards a return to civilian rule.”
BBC Africa Latest Updates 19 February 2022. 9:38
18 February 2022
Sudan: Sita el-Nufur was killed in November and “has become an icon for protesters”, many of whom are women. Overall, more than 80 have been killed since the October 2021 coup. A 2:32 BBC video, the second half about Sita el-Nufur and her legacy.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-60421428
Sahel: An inconclusive and banal article that claims to reveal something about the relationship between jihadism and military coups. The author claims that “(t)he military’s ascension to power (…) creates the tendency for an overly militaristic approach to fighting insurgency. The approach further entrenches the unintended consequence of pushing the vulnerable into joining jihadist groups, rather than pulling them away from extremist ideologies.” This cannot be applied to Chad, and is it true for Mali? Nor does Burkina’s new military head of state seem to be “overly militaristic” in his approach, though it is early days and we’ll have to wait for his deeds instead of judging him on his words.
https://theconversation.com/jihadism-and-coups-in-west-africas-sahel-region-a-complex-relationship-176988
Burundi: Sanctions “denied the country access to substantial financial budgetary support that had made up about 50% of its budget” and thus had dire economic consequences. Under the new president Évariste Ndayishimiye “(t)he systemic persecution of the opposition, arrests, murders, muzzling of the press and widespread gross human rights violations became less apparent.” The US lifted sanctions in November 2021, the European Union followed in February 2022. This could help to jump-start economic recovery.
https://theconversation.com/free-of-sanctions-burundi-can-start-to-recover-and-rebuild-177087