Our 10 most popular research papers of 2017

1.  Socio-economic Problems Facing Africa: Insights from six APRM Country Review Reports (SAIIA, 2009)

2.  An analysis of Nigerian foreign policy: the evolution of political paranoia (SAIIA, 1983)

3. Zimbabwe's Current Socio-Economic and Political Situation: Challenges and Prospects (OSSREA, 2003)

4. Understanding the Causes and Impacts of Conflicts in the Northern Region of Ghana (IEA Ghana, 2009)

5. Climate Change in Ghana: Impacts on Agriculture and the Policy Implications (IEA Ghana, 2013)

6. The Impact of China-Africa Investment Relations: Case study of Ethiopia (AERC, 2010)

7. The Impact of Democracy on Development: The Case of South Africa (CPS, 2009)

8. Globalisation and Development in Zambia: Challenges and Prospects (OSSREA, 2001)

9. Challenges to the Growth of Capital Markets in Underdeveloped Economies: The Case for Uganda (Trust Africa, 2013)

10. The role of multinational corporations in South Africa (SAIIA, 1979)

https://www.africaportal.org/features/our-10-most-popular-research-papers-2017/

Zimbabwe's Current Socio-Economic and Political Situation: Challenges and Prospects

"The papers focused mainly on social, economic, political and cultural aspects, both at national and regional levels. The main issues raised during the workshop include: Inequality among social classes and how polarization of these classes contributes to current problems; How poverty is critical and how it is being propagated by unaddressed social classes; and sources of Zimbabwean problems, which are both internal and external."

https://www.africaportal.org/publications/zimbabwes-current-socio-economic-and-political-situation-challenges-and-prospects/

An analysis of Nigerian foreign policy: the evolution of political paranoia (SAIIA, 1983)

"At independence in 1960, the Nigerian state represented a contrived federal balance between three ethnically and politically divided federal states. The political rivalry and tension between the three factions precluded the evolution of any specific 'Nigerian ideology or doctrine' and the emergence of any single charismatic national leader who could be identified as the 'voice of Nigeria'. Thus, the characteristic conservatism of Nigerian foreign policy at independence, often interpreted as weakness or lack of sovereignty is more realistically ascribed to the uncertainty of the Nigerian political leadership's domestic political footing. In formulating foreign policy the leadership elite was faced with the dilemma of internal disunity and a patently contrived and unstable federal political balance. In order to bridge the cleavage between internal divisiveness and the wider notion of 'Nigerianism', the political leadership (in view of the lack of any characteristic or cohesive Nigerian nationalism) sought to project Nigeria's external objectives into a wider pan-Africanist framework."

https://www.africaportal.org/publications/an-analysis-of-nigerian-foreign-policy-the-evolution-of-political-paranoia/

Socio-economic Problems Facing Africa: Insights from six APRM Country Review Reports

"The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) tries to identify both problems facing participating countries and solutions to these problems. This paper seeks to identify common socio-economic development problems revealed in six African countries that have received APRM Country Review Reports, and to look at the solutions they offer. The six countries are Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria and Benin. All have gone through difficult phases in the relatively recent past. Their issues are not identical but it is possible to find common links. Two hidden factors hamper analysis. First is an apparent reluctance to explore political influences that can dictate success or failure, raising a ‘difficult question’: who gains and loses from development options? Second, an absence of precise information, leading to important phenomena not being taken into account. Even the definition of poverty is hotly debated, creating an impression that poverty is increasing despite economic growth. Among the common problems are unemployment, access to land, weak educational systems, gender discrimination, and poor health care systems. Add to that, external dependency – a situation in which ‘the world’s poorest region overall’ is reliant on donors.It is apparent, that extensive hurdles to development remain: encompassing a range of factors from the visible offshoots of unstable economies, to the existence of a survivalist mentality, cultural and traditional practices, absence of skills,corruption and a lack of political will."

https://www.africaportal.org/publications/socio-economic-problems-facing-africa-insights-from-six-aprm-country-review-reports/

African Futures: Key Trends to 2035

Africa is undergoing several major transitions, including demographic, economic, technological, urban and socio-political. These transitions are all connected, and together they will shape the future of the continent. Looking to the future, Africa’s overall story reveals a positive trend. Yet this trend is neither stable nor even. Things are getting better in some places, but not everywhere, not for everybody. Several major transitions are shaping Africa’s future. Demographic change will be accompanied by economic, technological, urban and socio-political transformation with far-reaching implications for growth, human development and stability on the continent. This policy brief summarizes the findings from a more comprehensive report exploring how development trends are likely to unfold in Africa until 2035.

https://www.africaportal.org/publications/african-futures-key-trends-2035/

Park life: workers struggle to make ends meet at Ethiopia's $250m industrial zone

Hawassa Industrial Park in southern Ethiopia. Its success could be important for the country’s long-term economic trajectory. Photograph: William Davison

The Guardian published on 5 December 2017 an article titled "Park Life: Workers Struggle To Make Ends Meet at Ethiopia's $250m Industrial Zone" by William Davison.

This is a journalistic account of the economic challenges faced by a textile company operating in Ethiopia's Hawassa Industrial Park, which was built by China. Low wages and cheap electricity attract companies to the industrial park, but relatively high transportation costs and a rising cost of living for workers are raising questions about the long-term profitably of the company.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/dec/05/ethiopia-industrial-park-government-investment-boost-economy-low-wages

China Needs Urgent Oversight of Investments

ChinaDialogue published on 1 December 2017 an interview titled "China Needs Urgent Oversight of Investments" with Zhang Jingling, an environmental lawyer and visiting scholar at the Environmental Law Institute in Washington. 

The author did research in Africa, Asia, and Latin America on the role of Chinese foreign investment. Noting that Chinese companies are not transparent, she concluded that China needs to establish legal requirements rather than voluntary guidelines for Chinese foreign investments. This recommendation is important for Africa, which has somewhere between $34 billion and $83 billion of Chinese FDI.

https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/10258-China-needs-urgent-oversight-of-investments