Opinions

Chukwuemeka Eze, Desire Assogbavi and Malick Fall argue that ECOWAS’s golden anniversary presents a unique opportunity for the regional bloc to embody the aspirations of its people and truly represent the diverse communities it serves. President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, the current ECOWAS chairman The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)…

Wafula Okumu says although the AU was hailed as “an elixir” for the continent’s challenges, it has progressively been rendered “powerless” and “forlorn” urging new AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to marshal the goodwill of African leaders and people to reverse these trends and restore the enthusiasm that welcomed…

As foreign aid is being slashed across the Global North Nilima Gulrajani thinks a Pearson Commission on International Development 2.0 has become necessary to explore new global institutional arrangements to minimize aid dependency and reduce fragmentation, while still providing for the most vulnerable and helping future generations prosper. Foreign aid…

Following seven rounds of balloting, 60-year-old diplomat Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was elected the sixth chair of the African Union Commission in February 2025. Politics professor Ulf Engel, the editor of the Yearbook on the African Union, explains the role and its challenges. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the incoming chair of the African Union Commission…

Against the backdrop of rapid changes in the Sahel, Janisha Patel says rather than deliver prescriptive diktats, Western governments must foster partnerships that respect the agency of African states and also buy into a collective vision for revitalizing regional cooperation. Left to Right: Alliance of Sahel States (AES) leaders Ibrahim…

Daniel Franks and Rüya Perincek say the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act, which seeks to expand access to essential minerals through African partnerships, must go beyond offering countries a larger role in local processing and create a fairer model of mineral security that emphasizes affordability and self-sufficiency. BRISBANE/BRUSSELS –…

Amin Buba Dibal argues the African Diaspora has a crucial role to play in combating corruption on the continent given their comparative influence over their kinsmen back home through remittances and by leveraging cutting-edge technologies, global networks as well as international anti-graft conventions. It is no news that corruption has…

Adem K Abebe argues the African Union has a long and chequered history of advancing and protecting democracy and 2024 was no exception with the AU’s actions and omissions throughout the year having continued the pattern of limited advance, even regression, in pursuing its ambition of building a democratic, peaceful and prosperous…

Ueli Staeger argues the success of the recently held Mjadala Afrika, a public debate with candidates for the next Chairperson of the AU Commission, speaks to a broader phenomenon of the AU seeking to re-engage citizens, having lost its popular appeal over partially founded perceptions of ineffectiveness, mismanagement, and stasis. Left…

Karabo Mokgonyana says for African countries burdened by heavy debt to capitalise on International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) reforms they must introduce targeted financial instruments for renewable energy as well as strengthen regulatory frameworks to attract long-term green investment. The IMF’s decision to reduce borrowing costs by about 36%, or $1.2bn…