Activities In Africa Research Articles

Understanding China’s infrastructure activities in Africa through artistic practice and exhibition

The infrastructure-led development model initiated by China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has faced domestic and international challenges. By focusing on a national travelling art exhibition featuring Chinese railway construction in Africa in 2023, this paper examines the role that curatorial and exhibition practices can play in (re)shaping public geopolitical understandings of China-Africa relations. Exhibiting over 200 artworks collected from both China and Africa, this art programme not only forms a nuanced, personal and storied narrative of China’s overseas development work in Africa but also tactically responds to current internal and external criticism of the Chinese government’s global ambitions channelled through the BRI. This work extends the ongoing interest geographers have at the intersection of the visual arts and critical geopolitics.

Conversation with Ambassador Abdul S. Minty, during a Conference on ‘Anti-Nuclear Activism in Africa: A Historical Perspective’, held at the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, 3 April 2023

Conversation with Ambassador Abdul S. Minty, during a Conference on ‘Anti-Nuclear Activism in Africa: A Historical Perspective’, held at the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, 3 April 2023

Excerpts from a Conversation with Renfrew Christie and Rodney Wilkinson, during the Conference on ‘Anti-Nuclear Activism in Africa: A Historical Perspective’, held at the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, 3 April 2023.

Excerpts from a Conversation with Renfrew Christie and Rodney Wilkinson, during the Conference on ‘Anti-Nuclear Activism in Africa: A Historical Perspective’, held at the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, 3 April 2023.

Africapitalist foundations: the political economy of philanthropy of the super-rich in neoliberal Africa

ABSTRACT “Africapitalist foundations,” founded by iconic African billionaires who profess to integrate profit motive with pan-African identity and also position indigenous businesses as lead-agents in national and regional economic development (“Africapitalism”), emblematize movements to decolonize aid and development in Africa. A content analysis of the market-based and solidaristic philanthropic activities of five such foundations underline recent mutations of neoliberal capitalism that created enormous wealth and large-scale philanthropy for a few but also unleashed profound economic crisis for many Africans. By combining profit and emotion, Africapitalist philanthropy is disrupting several aspects of aid-giving in Africa. Africapitalists are, however, too weak to displace dominant actors in Africa’s aid and development industry; they entrench hegemonic capitalism by not addressing systemic injustices and maldistribution of power and resources that necessitate charity.

Dyplomacja Chińskiej Republiki Ludowej w okresie pandemii COVID-19 wobec państw Afryki

DIPLOMACY OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TOWARDS AFRICAN COUNTRIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC COVID-19 pandemic has been a real challenge and severe test of International Relations. It has been also a chance to gain or lose points in inter-power rivalry in Africa, which is full of contradictions. On the one hand, rich in human and natural resources, including energy ones. On the other hand, full of poverty, poor infrastructure (including health infrastructure), internal conflicts and political and economic instability what have a bad influence on the world economy and security. China, which nowadays is perceived as one of the most aggressive competitors in Africa, seems to conduct highly consistent policy towards this continent without any break, even in time of COVID-19 pandemic. This paper is an attempt to analyse Chinese activities in Africa at that time in context of global competition in this area and to evaluate how much they can influence China’s position there. Thus, after a brief historical background, it presents the most significant formal events and declarations between both partners, along with Chinese “mask and vaccine diplomacy” towards Africa from early 2020 until the beginning of 2023. The elements like soft power actions were especially under consideration in this analysis as these ones that are the most effective in the contemporary global policy, or at least equally fruitful as hard power.

Turkish Airlines: facilitating Türkiye's soft power in Africa

ABSTRACT Türkiye, a re-emerging non-Western power, has intensified its relationship with Africa by strategically integrating soft power elements into its foreign policy. Unlike other actors, Türkiye assigned a special role to its national carrier, Turkish Airlines, in this endeavour. This article assesses Turkish Airlines’ role as Türkiye’s soft power actor in Africa, primarily as a facilitator and connectivity agent. It explores Türkiye’s deployment of soft power tools and instruments to expand relations with Benin, Mauritania and Somalia, countries with recent significant increases in trade with Türkiye. We argue that Turkish Airlines’ involvement as a soft power actor and facilitator of connectivity in these countries has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of various actors, contributing to achieving Türkiye's regional goals. As such, it serves to confirm and enrich soft power theory.

Enhancing long-term trend simulation of the global tropospheric hydroxyl (TOH) and its drivers from 2005 to 2019: a synergistic integration of model simulations and satellite observations

Abstract. The tropospheric hydroxyl (TOH) radical is a key player in regulating oxidation of various compounds in Earth's atmosphere. Despite its pivotal role, the spatiotemporal distributions of OH are poorly constrained. Past modeling studies suggest that the main drivers of OH, including NO2, tropospheric ozone (TO3), and H2O(v), have increased TOH globally. However, these findings often offer a global average and may not include more recent changes in diverse compounds emitted on various spatiotemporal scales. Here, we aim to deepen our understanding of global TOH trends for more recent years (2005–2019) at 1×1°. To achieve this, we use satellite observations of HCHO and NO2 to constrain simulated TOH using a technique based on a Bayesian data fusion method, alongside a machine learning module named the Efficient CH4-CO-OH (ECCOH) configuration, which is integrated into NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) global model. This innovative module helps efficiently predict the convoluted response of TOH to its drivers and proxies in a statistical way. Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) NO2 observations suggest that the simulation has high biases for biomass burning activities in Africa and eastern Europe, resulting in a regional overestimation of up to 20 % in TOH. OMI HCHO primarily impacts the oceans, where TOH linearly correlates with this proxy. Five key parameters, i.e., TO3, H2O(v), NO2, HCHO, and stratospheric ozone, can collectively explain 65 % of the variance in TOH trends. The overall trend of TOH influenced by NO2 remains positive, but it varies greatly because of the differences in the signs of anthropogenic emissions. Over the oceans, TOH trends are primarily positive in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting from the upward trends in HCHO, TO3, and H2O(v). Using the present framework, we can tap the power of satellites to quickly gain a deeper understanding of simulated TOH trends and biases.

Continuous wildfires threaten public and ecosystem health under climate change across continents

Wildfires burn approximately 3%–4% of the global land area annually, resulting in massive emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Over the past two decades, there has been a declining trend in both global burned area and wildfire emissions. This trend is largely attributed to a decrease in wildfire activity in Africa, which accounts for a substantial portion of the total burned area and emissions. However, the northern high-latitude regions of Asia and North America have witnessed substantial interannual variability in wildfire activity, with several severe events occurring in recent years. Climate plays a pivotal role in influencing wildfire activity and has led to more wildfires in high-latitude regions. These wildfires pose significant threats to climate, ecosystems, and human health. Given recent changes in wildfire patterns and their impacts, it is critical to understand the contributors of wildfires, focus on deteriorating high-latitude areas, and address health risks in poorly managed areas to mitigate wildfire effects.

The regional economics of mineral resource wealth in Africa

AbstractWe study the regional economics of mineral resource activity in Africa. Using geocoded data on mine openings and closures in Africa, we document that mining regions experience local economic booms while a mine is in operation. We then explore how mineral resources affect non‐mining regions. Non‐mining regions might be affected by mining activity due to deliberate government policies (e.g. regional redistribution) or due to various inadvertent country‐level macroeconomic adjustments (e.g. Dutch‐Disease‐type effects or declining institutional quality). Our results suggest that mineral resources have heterogeneous effects on non‐mining regions. Politically important regions benefit economically, while generic non‐mining regions are, in general, worse off. Exploring mechanisms, we find that these spatial patterns arguably emerge due to both deliberate government policies as well as Dutch‐Disease‐style macroeconomic adjustments that harm regions specializing in sectors other than mining.

Utility of colposcopy for the screening and management of cervical cancer in Africa: A cross-sectional analysis of providers’ training and practices.

10555 Background: Cervical cancer is a public health issue in Africa with devastating socioeconomic consequences due to the lack of organized screening programs. The success of screening programs depends on the appropriate investigation and management of women who test positive for screening. Colposcopic assessment following positive screening results is a critical issue in Africa. This study aimed to assess the utilization of colposcopy by providers in the region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021-2022 among healthcare providers involved in cervical cancer prevention activities in Africa. They were invited to report prior colposcopy training, whether they performed colposcopy and the indications of colposcopy in their practice. Results: Of the 130 providers from 23 African countries who responded to the survey (mean age [SD]: 39.0 years [9.4]), half were female (65 [50.0%]), and 90.7% were working in urban areas. Overall, only 12.6% of respondents indicated having received prior training on colposcopy, and 11.7% reported that they were performing colposcopy in their current practice. Among the providers who reported performing colposcopy in their practice, colposcopy was indicated for routine visual screening in 21.2% of clinicians, to visualize the transformation zone in 15.2% of respondents, to assess vascularization of cervical mucosa in 33.3% of respondents, and to determine treatment modality in 12.1% of respondents. Conclusions: Providers’ training and utilization of colposcopy for cervical cancer screening remain suboptimal in Africa. To address this situation in the region, further training is needed to improve providers' knowledge and engagement. With the development of lower-cost and portable colposcopes, efforts to equip cervical cancer prevention programs and facilities with colposcopy should be enhanced to ensure that women can be screened and managed appropriately.

Wagner PMC’s Impact on Russia’s Public Image in Africa

Much has been made of Wagner Private Military Company’s (PMC) activities in Africa, and many have warned of Russia’s growing influence on the continent and the implications that this has for the West. But little work has been done to examine how African publics have reacted to these activities, even though one of the purposes of Wagner’s activities in Africa is to influence African public opinion. Have Wagner’s activities in Africa led to winning the battle for the “hearts and minds” of African publics on the continent, which appears to be, at least in part, the goal of such activities? Have they affected how Africans view Russia? Using data from a new report documenting Wagner political, military, and economic activities, coupled with recent Afrobarometer data from Wave 8 (2019–2021), I examine whether Wagner activities correlate with views on Russia. I find that rather than increasing positive evaluations of Russia, the presence of Wagner military activities is associated with a significant decrease in evaluations of Russia in the countries where Wagner is deployed. This suggests that Wagner activities may not be helping to improve Russia’s appeal in Africa.

Exploring the history of colonial towns as centres of national integration: The example of Kafanchan Town, 1926-2011

This paper is a critical inquiry into the process and evolution and urbanization of Kafanchan Town from 1926 to 2011. It is based on the appreciation of the impact of British colonial rule in Nigeria as against the usual dismissive Marxist approach to studying European activities in Africa. The research methodology adopted is an interpretation of both primary (oral/archival) and secondary (published) sources to reconstruct the history of the town. On concluding the work, the analysis of both primary and secondary sources traced the history of the town to the construction of the railway line from the eastern part of Nigeria that culminated into a station located on an uninhabited plot of land. This station is significant because it provided a system of transportation that serves as a link among Nigerians from different backgrounds and also precipitated the process of urbanization in this area. The town has evolved into a centre for national integration. From its beginning, it was cosmopolitan in nature thereby serving as a critical area in enhancing unity in a multicultural society like Nigeria. It started with the sheds erected as quarters for the construction workers and staff of the Nigerian Railways who were composed of diverse ethnic groups; some of the early workers were Yoruba, Igbo, Edo, Tiv, Hausa/Fulani, and the bulk of the natives. The paper therefore posits that colonial infrastructures as part of its economy had a positive impact in knitting the socio-political fabrics of the Nigerian area. This, if properly harnessed, would turn the tide of the much needed national integration in our heterogonous society for a progressive development.

Targeted sanctions, resource substitution, and violence against civilians: Localized evidence from African states

Since the 1990 s, the UN Security Council increased its use of targeted sanctions, yet we know very little about their unintended impact on civilian victimization, especially at the local level. This study argues that imposing sanctions on armed actors may compel them to seize non-sanctioned agricultural resources to replenish lost revenues and use violence to facilitate appropriation. A new dataset on sanctioned group violence in agricultural areas is developed by matching UN sanctions data with information on local attacks on civilians from the UCDP GED and combining these data with a new geographic dataset. Quantitative analyses establish that monthly changes in cash crop productivity affect political violence by sanctioned actors in Africa, while violence by unsanctioned and pre-sanctioned actors is unaffected. A short case study of Somalia validates the hypothesized mechanism by showing that al-Shabaab actively engaged in violence over such substitution dynamics.

HPV vaccination in Africa in the COVID-19 era: a cross-sectional survey of healthcare providers' knowledge, training, and recommendation practices.

Although the burden of cervical cancer in Africa is highest, HPV vaccination coverage remains alarmingly low in this region. Providers' knowledge and recommendation are key drivers of HPV vaccination uptake. Yet, evidence about providers' knowledge and recommendation practices about the HPV vaccine against a backdrop of emerging vaccine hesitancy fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic is lacking in Africa. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021-2022 among healthcare providers involved in cervical cancer prevention activities in Africa. They were invited to report prior training, the availability of the HPV vaccine in their practice, whether they recommended the HPV vaccine, and, if not, the reasons for not recommending it. Their knowledge about the HPV vaccine was assessed through self-reporting (perceived knowledge) and with three pre-tested knowledge questions (measured knowledge). Of the 153 providers from 23 African countries who responded to the survey (mean age: 38.5 years, SD: 10.1), 75 (54.0%) were female and 97 (63.4%) were based In countries with national HPV immunization programs. Overall, 57 (43.8%) reported having received prior training on HPV vaccine education/counseling, and 40 (37.4%) indicated that the HPV vaccine was available at the facility where they work. Most respondents (109, 83.2%) reported recommending the HPV vaccine in their practice. Vaccine unavailability (57.1%), lack of effective communication tools and informational material (28.6%), and need for adequate training (28.6%) were the most commonly reported reasons for not recommending the HPV vaccine. While 63 providers (52.9%) reported that their knowledge about HPV vaccination was adequate for their practice, only 9.9% responded correctly to the 3 knowledge questions. To increase HPV vaccination coverage and counter misinformation about this vaccine in Africa, adequate training of providers and culturally appropriate educational materials are needed to improve their knowledge of the HPV vaccine and to facilitate effective communication with their patients and the community.

The New Scramble for Africa

Abstract The relationship between Africa and the developed world has been a subject of much discussion over the years. Recently, however, there has been a lot of controversy around China’s activities in Africa. Several criticisms have arisen alleging the exploitation of Africa by China. This study set out to examine China’s activities on the African continent with a focus on Ghana and Ethiopia to clearly reveal the various sides of the argument and put them into perspective. The study also sought to establish whether a new scramble is occurring in Africa, with neocolonialist strategies. The study relied on the realist theory to understand China’s intentions regarding its activities on the continent and on neocolonialism to explore any incidence of a new scramble. Secondary sources were employed to collect data for analysis. The study found that although some of the activities of China on the continent were questionable, they have been partially beneficial to the continent. Africa is not as vulnerable as perceived but has the capacity to leverage some of its resources to foster its development.

African Nuclear Educational Network (AFRA-NEST): Assessment, challenges, and the way forward

As eleven African countries are planning or moving ahead with the implementation of national nuclear programs, the role of nuclear education networks in preparing the needed national workforce cannot be underestimated. A 2022 IAEA publication on Nuclear Educational Networks benchmarked the different nuclear networks. It suffices to mention that; as of 2022; the African Nuclear Educational Network, AFRA-NEST, does not have a network platform and the position of the regional coordinator is vacant. Also, the network did not witness any major activities since nearly 2013. This opinion paper is an attempt to better understand the history and status of AFRA-NEST, address the challenges and provide some recommendations on re-activating it to cope with the ongoing nuclear activities in Africa.

Missed opportunities for integrated testing: An Evaluation of the implementation of TB and HIV EID Testing on the GeneXpert platform in Lesotho

Introduction: Integrated testing of TB and HIV can improve health outcomes and save costs. The GeneXpert (GX) instrument, a multi-disease testing platform, can allow for simultaneous HIV and TB testing. However, utilization of the platform for integrated testing remains suboptimal, and there are operational barriers to implementing integrated TB and HIV testing.
 Methods: We evaluated the implementation of TB and HIV testing on the GX instrument for early infant detection (EID) of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) testing in thirteen health facilities in Lesotho. The data collection process used a survey questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and a review of records at each health facility. Data was collected for the period 2017 and 2019.
 Results: All thirteen health facilities had at least one GX instrument for TB or EID testing. In 2017, the average utilization rate for the GX instrument for TB and EID testing was 63% and 24%, while in 2019, the average utilization rate was 61% for TB testing and 27% for EID. However, none of the health facilities included testing for TB and HIV on the same GX instrument simultaneously. In general, utilization rates were sufficiently low that all the HIV and TB tests undertaken in 2017 and 2019 could have been performed using only the instruments currently dedicated to TB testing. All except for three sites (Scott, Motebang and Maluti) where the testing rates were high. 
 Conclusion and Policy Implications: Much progress has been made in integrating TB and HIV activities in Africa. However, there is a missed opportunity for the integration of testing for TB and HIV on the GX instrument, which could save costs.
 This evaluation highlights areas that need more focus and more detailed diagnostic network optimization exercises to improve service delivery and allocate stocks, staff, equipment, and training. Better coordination of donor support or increased flexibility in reporting of use will be important to maximize the use of resources, where integration may be more effective than purchasing new equipment. Monitoring and evaluation should be a routine part of the implementation and should be budgeted and demanded by policymakers and donors. Health facilities may require additional resources and technical support to improve data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
 In conclusion, areas highlighted in this evaluation merit further exploration, such as the need to understand integrated testing models, including what works, why, and for which target groups. This will allow for effective targeted interventions to improve testing coverage across several diseases especially taking advantage of the multi-disease testing platforms.
 

The importance and political and economic position (Silk Road) of China (review, goals, obstacles and challenges)

Today, as a vast continent, Asia is facing new developments and various actors have presented plans to achieve their goals in its various regions. China is one of these emerging players that have proposed the plan to revive the Silk Road in order to become a world power. This route represents a fundamental element of China's foreign policy strategy aimed at extending its sphere of influence to diverse regions. Revealed by the head of state of China in September 2013, this initiative encompasses around 4.4 billion individuals, constituting 65 percent of the global population, and involves a substantial portion of the world's gross production, totaling 21 trillion and it consists of two parts of the Economic Belt and Road. "New" "Maritime Silk Road" has been formed. China's effort and interest in promoting such grand projects, apart from the fact that it can have new economic and political effects for this country, can also expand more and more in China's foreign policy. Qash should have a more active area. The competition between China and America in the international economy shows the increasing influence of China in the Asian economy and the spectacular growth of China's economic and commercial activities in Africa compared to other powers, especially the United States. By revitalizing the silk road and drawing an economic belt, China will have access to world roads. Facilitation and expansion of an international and reliable transport corridor with affordable costs has been developed in the direction of its national interests. Based on this, the authors of this article raise their question as to whether China's innovations, despite what the Beijing authorities have said, can appear in practice, or whether the obstacles on the way of these plans prevent them from coming to fruition. Will you come? Our conjecture is that owing to the excessively high expenses, China's plans and the disruptions that the United States may create in competition with Beijing, and also due to some environmental problems and lack of support. The likelihood of success for these plans appears doubtful, at least in the foreseeable future.

Rusya-Afrika İlişkilerinin Yeniden Dirilişi: Kapsamlı Bir Değerlendirme - Siyasi, Ekonomik ve Stratejik Dinamikler

When considering global interests, it is evident that Russia aims to weaken the dominance of the United States in the current international order and establish itself as a key player in a multipolar world order. In this context, Russia prefers to pursue a policy based on opportunistic actions that would help it be recognized as a global power in different geographic areas and maintain this status. This article aims to examine Russia's growing relationship with Africa from 2014 to the present within the framework of these objectives. In line with Siegle's (2019) claim, the article will argue that Russia's opportunistic approach and Africa's declaration of itself as a "stage" rather than just a destination for Russia indicate that Africa is a global player. The study will discuss Russia's activities in Africa and its influence on the continent in various areas of cooperation, including economics, security, diplomacy, and geopolitics. Additionally, it will touch upon Russia's competition with other global powers in Africa. In this context, the article will demonstrate that Russia's relationship with African countries aligns with its goals of becoming a major power and undermining the global leadership role of the United States in a manner consistent with its global interests. Despite its increasing presence on the continent, the article will conclude by emphasizing that Russia remains a weak player compared to other global powers due to its limited economic and military resources. Key words: Russia, Africa, South South cooperation, global politics

How open are African inventors? Open green technologies and patenting activities in Africa

Open green innovation is essential to accelerate decarbonization in Africa. The dearth of empirical evidence on the current trajectory of green innovation in Africa often hinders appropriate green innovation policy design. This study investigates the incidence of collaboration in inventive activities within Africa using the ‘designation of the inventor’ in the online European Patent database. We identify and assess open and closed climate adaptation and mitigation inventions using explorative and network analysis techniques. Our research shows that even though climate change adaptation technologies are more valuable, climate change mitigation technologies are more responsive to open innovation. We also discovered that the number of green inventions is slightly increasing, but there are very few collaborative open green inventions in Africa as many of the inventions are closed. These results accentuate the fragmented national innovation systems in many African countries. The lack of collaboration and the disconnect between universities and firms shows that most African knowledge institutions have not evolved into vibrant sources of firm learning for national economic development.