Opinions

Tighisti Amare and Alex Vines argue African leaders have more options than ever, creating opportunities for triangulation – African nations can strategically engage multiple global powers to maximize their benefits.  A general view of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on 5…

Amidst the growing demand for Africa to have two permanent seats on the UN Security Council, Désiré Assogbavi wonders if the United States proposal for Africa to have two seats without veto rights is meaningless. There is a growing demand and an urgency to increase the effectiveness of the United Nations’…

Tim Murithi argues the US proposal that Africa gets two seats on the UN Security Council without veto powers would relegate the continent’s 1.4 billion people to permanent second-class citizens on a Security Council that allocates 60% of its agenda to issues relating to Africa. The opening session for the…

On the case for Africa’s permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Sithembile Mbete argues the nature of global threats and the definition of international security have changed dramatically since the creation of the UN in 1945, noting that such threats can only be resolved by a Security Council…

Sara Hamouda asks: what could be Africa’s gains from the Summit of the Future (SOTF) to nurture good governance on the continent? Sara Hamouda, Officer-in-Charge, the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063 Continental Governance Programme at the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) A bold Pact for the Future will be adopted at…

Mr Raila Odinga argues the desire and enthusiasm for integration in Africa has never waned. However, this is possible if Member States can be persuaded to cede commensurate loyalty to the ideals of supranational authority and the long-term benefits of integration. Raila Odinga, a former Prime Minister of Kenya, is…

Richard Ponzio and Nudhara Yusuf posit the Summit of the Future (SOTF) represents both a milestone and another step in the long journey toward achieving human security for all, noting that the older generation owe this renewed commitment to collective global action to today’s younger generation and all succeeding generations…

Chido Munyati argues to realize the immense potential of the evolving China-Africa economic relations, the duo must prioritize greater coordination between the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and increase investment Africa’s industrialisation and manufacturing to enhance trade connectivity for mutual benefits for…

Nasreen Al-Amin, Founder of Surge Africa Organisation  and Georgia Nicolau, Founder of Instituto Procomum, reflect on their 4-day joint Climate Narratives Lab event in Santos, São Paulo, which focused on the role of the Global South in climate solutions and narrative building. Participants at the 4-day joint Climate Narratives Lab event…

Lennon Monyae argues the upcoming UN Summit of the Future (SOTF) offers Africa a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to push for its demands for the reform of the UN Security Council, particularly permanent seats for Africa on the Council. A cross-section of participants at the recent 11th Ministerial Meeting of the African…