Opinions

Africa’s path to true development requires reimagining a multilateral order that replaces extractive, profit-driven systems with one grounded in care, equity, and collective dignity. As summer has drawn to a close in the northern hemisphere, the Global South’s brief respite from United Nations meetings and international conferences has also ended.…

A recent project connecting thousands of Nigerian homes and businesses to solar power shows how modest investments can drive transformative clean energy gains across the developing world—success made possible through public, private, and philanthropic partners working toward a shared goal. In Kiguna, a rural community in Nigeria, the fish trader…

Proven, sustainable, and inclusive, distributed renewable energy is lighting up Malawi’s path to growth—unlocking opportunities for education, enterprise, and a model for rural nations across the Global South. Like many African countries, Malawi faces significant energy-access challenges. In 2024, just 26% of the population had regular access to electricity – 11.3% via…

Trump’s tariffs threaten African exports and stability, underscoring the need for collective bargaining with the US and stronger ties with emerging powers.  US President Donald Trump’s misnamed “reciprocal” tariffs represent a major shift in American trade policy, replacing the multilateral approach that has guided US strategy for decades with a…

Africa’s green mineral wealth is key to global decarbonization, but to avoid unequal terms and limited value addition, a U.S.-Africa supply chain must ensure both climate goals and the continent’s prosperity, dignity, and sovereignty. Introduction The global transition to cleaner energy is triggering a seismic shift in mineral geopolitics. Critical…

As the global order shifts, Africa risks being cast as a guest at its own table when summits are held in foreign capitals—turning partnership from equality into ritualized dependence. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan walks to the lectern to deliver her speech at the opening ceremony of the ninth Forum…

Reducing poverty drives growth, resilience, and stability, and even in times of economic strain, governments must prioritize smart, cost-effective investments in human capital and infrastructure to secure long-term development. Faced with a slowing global economy and rising debts, many developing-country governments may be tempted to scale back anti-poverty programs. That…

Although global hunger declined last year, undernourishment rose in Africa—a trend policymakers can reverse by boosting agricultural productivity through soil restoration, innovation, and human capital investment. According to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025, a report recently released by the five leading United Nations agencies working…

The Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) offers Africa a defining moment—to shift from vulnerability to leadership, from pledges to practical solutions, and from fragmented efforts to a unified continental voice in shaping global climate action. Fitsum Assefa Adela, Minister of Planning and Development of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia…

Africa’s economic integration depends on stronger, more effective trade finance systems to help SMEs overcome cross-border risks and compete regionally. There is no silver bullet for expanding trade and commerce in Africa – or anywhere else, for that matter. But we can say with certainty that trade finance forms the…