African Region Research Articles

Economic growth in the Sub-Saharan African world region: convergence theory

Purpose The processes of convergence are particularly challenging in the Sub-Saharan African frameworks, considering the diversity of contexts and endogenous particularities. Creating conditions to support these nations to improve their socioeconomic dynamics and performance requires additional contributions from international organisations, governments and the scientific community. In this scenario, this paper aims to analyse the convergence process in Sub-Saharan African countries over the past three decades. Design/methodology/approach To achieve these objectives, data from the World Bank were considered for the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita over the period 1990–2021. This statistical information was assessed through panel data approaches based on the models from the convergence theory. Specifically, the concepts of sigma and beta convergence were addressed, as well as the concept of catch-up rates. Findings The findings obtained highlight evidence of the existence of clubs of convergence among the Sub-Saharan African countries and the processes of catching up. These results may be relevant support for the policymakers and international funds and programmes. Originality/value This research provides a new perspective on the convergence of GDP per capita in Sub-Saharan African countries, based on an analysis focused on groups of countries identified on the basis of catch-up rates. This approach presents a way of dealing with the different specificities of these nations.

Atlas 2022 of African health Statistics: Key results towards achieving the health-related SDGs targets

IntroductionThe Atlas 2022 of African Health Statistics is a comprehensive tool that gives an overview of the health ecosystem in the African region. As such, it tracks progress towards globally agreed objectives, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), assesses the capacity of African countries to achieve them, and helps policymakers identify gaps and areas requiring substantial reinforcement. MethodsWe analyzed health-related SDGs’ key indicators in the Atlas 2022 of African Health Statistics. This platform is a nexus for consistent and comparable data sources across countries. A review of studies addressing the evolution of health-related SDG indicators in Africa was also considered for discussion and recommendations. ResultsHunger and different forms of malnutrition remain prevalent in the Region. Maternal and neonatal mortality is still high compared to other regions, with increasing incidences of non-communicable diseases and poor mechanisms to address mental health issues. Many inequalities are noted in violence against women, access to health services, or access to water and basic sanitation, which is exacerbated in rural areas. Regarding achieving the SDGs, the trend of most indicators shows they will be challenging to perform at the Regional level. However, a few countries are on track to achieve some goals. These results clearly show that countries have different experiences and, therefore, different progress in achieving sustainable development goals. The delays experienced by many countries in terms of development in other sectors, such as climate and the environment, poverty reduction and economic growth, equity and justice, etc., will make it even more difficult to achieve the health-related SDGs. Achieving these goals should, therefore, be seen as a transdisciplinary and inclusive process. ConclusionBeyond the COVID-19 pandemic that has recently challenged health systems worldwide, the African Region is also dealing with several threats, jeopardizing its progress toward achieving the SDGs by 2030. Given the Region’s particular context, a readjustment of the regional targets and/or deadlines would be advisable to ensure they are achievable.

The Origins and Destinations of Captives from the Bight of Biafra, 1807–1843: New Evidence from the Identification of African Names and Languages

ABSTRACT Between 1807 and 1843, British naval officers liberated more than thirty thousand Africans from slave vessels that embarked enslaved people along the Bight of Biafra. Large ledger books display these Liberated Africans’ names, sexes, ages, and other characteristics. The names, many of which are easily recognizable today, provide clues about individuals pulled into the transatlantic trade and reveal a range of experiences that shaped the lives of Africans in the nineteenth century. Connecting the names to ethnolinguistic homelands helps establish a rough place of origin for more than twelve thousand of the individuals. The data underscore the centrality of Igbo-speakers – the major language in the Bight of Biafra hinterland – to the region’s slave trade. Given the representative nature of the ethnolinguistic makeup of the individuals to the broader slave trade from the Bight of Biafra, we use the intended destinations of the captured vessels as a basis for projecting the size and direction of the transatlantic diaspora of Igbo-speakers. Despite their limited cultural impact on African and African-descended regions in the Americas, large numbers of captives from Igbo-speaking communities were sent to almost every plantation society in the New World in the nineteenth century.

Global Uncertainty: The Influence of Monetary Policies Order and Inflation Volatility on Bank Profitability African Bank and Middle East Bank

The objective of this paper is to examine the factors that influence the resilience and adaptability of banks to economic disruption. The aim is to encourage a collaborative and cooperative approach to these challenges. This study analyses the impact of monetary policies, inflation trends, and bank-specific determinants on bank profitability in the African and Middle Eastern regions. A quantitative research approach was used to assess macro and micro factors affecting bank profitability, using secondary data. The macro variables were obtained from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the micro variables were extracted from the banks' annual accounts. The research findings indicate that monetary policy and inflation have significant impacts on banks' profitability. Additionally, the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model revealed that the annual interest rate (IR), inflation (INF), capital adequacy ratio (CAR), and previous financial performance (Lagged ROA/ROE) have positive and significant effects on both ROA and ROE. In addition, the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) had a significant positive effect on ROE, while the non-performing loan ratio (NPLr) had a significant negative effect. The validity and suitability of the GMM regression model used in this study were confirmed by the AR(2) and Sargan Test results. These findings provide valuable insights for decision-makers in the banking sector to respond to changes in monetary policy and manage risks associated with inflation fluctuations. The study emphasizes the importance of capital management and credit risk management in sustaining bank profitability amidst economic uncertainty.

Burden, causes, and risk factors of perinatal mortality in Eastern Africa: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Although global mortality rates in children under 5 years have decreased substantially in the last 30 years, there remain around 2.6 million stillbirths and 2.9 million neonatal deaths each year. The majority of these deaths occur in Africa and South Asia. To reduce perinatal deaths in East Africa, knowledge of the burden, but also the risk factors and causes of perinatal deaths are crucial. To the best of our knowledge, reviews have previously focused on the burden of perinatal deaths; here we aim to synthesize evidence on the burden, causes, and risk factors for perinatal mortality in East Africa. Methods We will conduct a systematic literature search in Medline, Web of Science, EMBASE, Global Health, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, HINARI, African Index Medicus, African Journals Online (AJOL), and WHO African Regional Office (AFRO) Library. The study population includes all fetuses and newborns from ≥22 weeks of gestation (birth weight ≥500gm) to 7 days after birth, with reported causes or/and determinants as exposure, and perinatal mortality (stillbirths and/or early neonatal deaths) as an outcome. We will include studies from 2010 to 2022, and to facilitate the inclusion of up-to-date data, we will request recent data from ongoing surveillance in the region. To assess the quality of included studies, we will use the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool for observational and trial studies. We will analyze the data using STATA version 17 statistical software and assess heterogeneity and publication bias by Higgins’ I2 and funnel plot, respectively. Conclusions This systematic review will search for published studies, and seek unpublished data, on the burden, causes, and risk factors of perinatal mortality in East Africa. Findings will be reported, and gaps in the evidence base identified, with recommendations, with the ultimate aim of reducing perinatal deaths. Protocol registration PROSPERO-CRD42021291719.

Developing a flood monitoring system by utilizing real-time satellite rainfall estimates and water energy budget-based rainfall-runoff inundation model in West Africa

Abstract. The African regions have been affected by frequent flood-related disasters. To support decision-makers in flood disaster management, a real-time flood monitoring system was established in the Niger and Volta basins under the Water disaster platform to enhance climate resilience in Africa (WADiRE-Africa). To bridge a gap between data unavailability and inaccessibility, the near-real-time satellite rainfall data (GSMaP-NRT) was evaluated and found to have a very low correlation (<0.4) with gauge data at daily scales and a higher correlation (>0.7) at monthly scales. The statistically bias-corrected GSMaP-NRT data was used in the Water and Energy Budget-based Rainfall-Runoff-Inundation (WEB-RRI) model to generate hydrological responses of the basins. As the simulated river discharges were overestimated, an additional correction method was employed for the GSMaP-NRT data to match well with observed discharges. The prototype system provides real-time flood information in both basins.

Aid and developing regional integration

This paper examines megatrends and interdependence of the loan aid-capital investment links across developing regions. Theoretically, it contributes to the existing studies by providing a novel theoretical framework with a dual-objective donor-giving grant (driven by a benevolent objective) and loan aid (profitability motive), as well as a public–private partnership-like investment structure and multi-region feedback mechanism. Empirically, this paper adds to the literature by allowing for cross-heterogeneity and interdependencies across regions of loan aid-capital investment link. We estimate a panel structural VAR model of grant aid, loan aid, private consumption, and aggregate capital stock using data from nine developing regional country blocs covering the 1961-2017 period. Amidst a generally weak aid-investment link, we find loan aid to Granger causes capital accumulation, and among African regions, it is the most (least) productive – in terms of within- and spillover effects – in the IGAD (ECOWAS) region. In addition, our results suggest deeper regional integration between the Sub-Saharan African regions than the collective Latin American & Caribbean regions and the two Southern Asian regions (Southeast Asia and South Asia) examined.

A conservation assessment of birds in the Karoo region of South Africa: densities, populations, ranges, and trend estimates

The Karoo region of South Africa, which includes the Succulent and Nama Karoo biomes, supports a unique avian fauna, with ten bird species occurring exclusively in this arid-zone region and many others exhibiting a strong preference for this habitat. To better determine the conservation status of these birds, we conducted point counts to estimate population densities of bird species occurring in the South African Karoo region in 2017 and 2018. We also used data of the South African Bird Atlas Projects (SABAP2) to estimate the species’ ranges and to determine population trends. Although the population densities are naturally low for most species, their ranges are very large, and reporting-rate trends appear stable for most species. Our analysis reveals that none of the Karoo bird species are currently of serious conservation concern. However, the Red Lark Calendulauda burra and Sclater’s Lark Spizocorys sclateri should be considered regionally Near Threatened as they are habitat specialists with inferred declining populations and are not currently protected within any designated conservation areas. Given the rapid transformation of landscapes linked to mining and alternative energy developments currently underway in the Karoo, combined with the poor representation of bird species in protected areas, it is imperative that special attention be paid to the conservation of bird species endemic to the Karoo, and that appropriate mitigation measures be taken by developers.

Antimicrobial resistance, virulence potential and genomic epidemiology of global genomes of the rare Salmonella enterica serovar Orion.

Our aim is to characterize through whole-genome sequencing (WGS) the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and heavy metal tolerance (HMT) genes content, plasmid presence, virulence potential and genomic diversity of the rare non-typhoid Salmonella enterica serovar Orion (S. Orion) from 19 countries of the African, American, Eastern Mediterranean, European, Southeastern Asia and Western Pacific regions. Totally 324 S. Orion genomes were screened for AMR, HMT and virulence genes, plasmids and Salmonella Pathogenicity Islands (SPIs). Genomic diversity was investigated using Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) and core-genome MLST (cgMLST). Efflux pump encoding genes mdsA and mdsB were present in all genomes analysed, while quinolone chromosomal point mutations and aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, colistin, lincosamide, macrolide, phenicol, sulphonamide, trimethoprim, tetracycline and disinfectant resistance genes were found in 0.3%-5.9%. A total of 17 genomes (5.2%) from Canada, the United Kingdom, the USA and Tanzania showed a potential multi-drug resistance profile. Gold tolerance genes golS and golT were detected in all genomes analysed, while arsenic, copper, mercury, silver and tellurium tolerance genes were found in 0.3%-35.5%. Col(MGD2) was the most frequently detected plasmid, in 15.4% of the genomes. Virulence genes related to adherence, macrophage induction, magnesium uptake, regulation, serum resistance, stress adaptation, type III secretion systems and six SPIs (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 13, 14 and C63PI) were detected. ST639 was assigned to 89.2% of the S. Orion genomes, while cgMLST showed core-genome STs and clusters of strains specific by countries. The high virulence factor frequencies, the genomic similarity among some non-clinical and clinical strains circulating worldwide and the presence of a strain carrying a resistance gene against a last resource antimicrobial like colistin, highlight the potential risk of S. Orion strains for public health and food safety and reinforce the importance to not underestimate the potential hazard of rare non-typhoid Salmonella serovars.

Overview of the African palm weevil (Rhynchophorus phoenicis) as food and feed – A critical review

Abstract Insects have long been a part of the human diet, but their appeal as a human meal has only grown in recent years due to their potential as a vast future food supply with high nutritional value and significant environmental benefits. The African palm weevil (APW) larvae (Rhynchophorus phoenicis) is one of the promising insects with promise in food application. This paper provides a comprehensive review of APW larvae based on bioecological, consumption, nutritional value, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties, and consumer acceptance. APW larvae are an alternative food, especially in the African region, that has been consumed by people for a long time. Over time, APW larvae consumption has developed both in terms of quantity and quality; this is indicated by an increase in APW farming followed by diversification of processed products. APW larvae contain high nutrients, including amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. In several African countries, APW has been utilized in various dishes prepared using different methods. APW farming has economic potential that can increase people’s income. APW larvae are highly accessible, inexpensive, have low environmental footprints, and have the potential to solve food poverty in Africa. This study is intended to provide policymakers with a framework for developing and implementing more appropriate rules and regulations to support the expansion of the APW industry.

Contribution of vaccination to improved survival and health: modelling 50 years of the Expanded Programme on Immunization

WHO, as requested by its member states, launched the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974 to make life-saving vaccines available to all globally. To mark the 50-year anniversary of EPI, we sought to quantify the public health impact of vaccination globally since the programme's inception. In this modelling study, we used a suite of mathematical and statistical models to estimate the global and regional public health impact of 50 years of vaccination against 14 pathogens in EPI. For the modelled pathogens, we considered coverage of all routine and supplementary vaccines delivered since 1974 and estimated the mortality and morbidity averted for each age cohort relative to a hypothetical scenario of no historical vaccination. We then used these modelled outcomes to estimate the contribution of vaccination to globally declining infant and child mortality rates over this period. Since 1974, vaccination has averted 154 million deaths, including 146 million among children younger than 5 years of whom 101 million were infants younger than 1 year. For every death averted, 66 years of full health were gained on average, translating to 10·2 billion years of full health gained. We estimate that vaccination has accounted for 40% of the observed decline in global infant mortality, 52% in the African region. In 2024, a child younger than 10 years is 40% more likely to survive to their next birthday relative to a hypothetical scenario of no historical vaccination. Increased survival probability is observed even well into late adulthood. Since 1974 substantial gains in childhood survival have occurred in every global region. We estimate that EPI has provided the single greatest contribution to improved infant survival over the past 50 years. In the context of strengthening primary health care, our results show that equitable universal access to immunisation remains crucial to sustain health gains and continue to save future lives from preventable infectious mortality. WHO.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community-based directly observed treatment (DOT) versus health facility-based DOT of tuberculosis in Africa: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health challenge, especially prevalent in the WHO African region. The WHO’s End TB Strategy emphasises effective treatment approaches such as directly observed therapy (DOT),...

Time to Treatment Failure and Its Predictors Among Second-Line ART Clients in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Follow-Up Study.

Second-line antiretroviral treatment failure has become a major public health issue, and the time to treatment failure among second-line ART clients varies globally, and the Sub-Saharan African region having a high rate of second-line ART treatment failures. In addition, after the ART treatment guideline changed there is limited information on Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess time to treatment failure and its determinants among second-line ART clients in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. A multi-centered retrospective follow-up study was conducted. A random sample of 860 people on second-line ART was selected by using a computer-generated simple random sampling technique from January 30, 2016, to January 30, 2021, at the University of Gondar Compressive Specialized Hospital, Felege Hiwot Compressive Specialized Referral Hospital, and Debre Tabor Compressive Specialized Referral Hospital, in Amhara region, Ethiopia. Data was captured using a checklist. A total of 81 (9.4%) ART clients developed second-line treatment failure, with a median follow-up time of 29 months with an interquartile range (IQR: 18, 41]. The risk of second-line treatment failure is higher among patients aged 15 to 30 years (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.16, 3.48]). Being unable to read and write (AHR = 1.312, 95% CI: [1.068, 1.613]), and poor ART drug adherence (AHR = 3.067, 95% CI: [1.845, 5.099]) were significant predictors of second-line ART treatment failures. In the current study, the time to second-line ART treatment failure was high compared with a previous similar study in Ethiopia. Factors like being younger age, ART clients who are not being able to read and write, and having poor ART drug adherence was significant predictors of second-line ART treatment failure.

Field evaluation of validity and feasibility of Pan-Lassa rapid diagnostic test for Lassa fever in Abakaliki, Nigeria: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever with few options for diagnosis and treatment; it is also under-researched with knowledge gaps on its epidemiology. A point-of-care bedside test diagnosing Lassa fever, adhering to REASSURED criteria, is not currently available but is urgently needed in west African regions with high Lassa fever burden. We aimed to assess the validity and feasibility of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) to confirm Lassa fever in people in Nigeria. We estimated the diagnostic performance of the ReLASV Pan-Lassa RDT (Zalgen Labs, Frederick, MD, USA) as a research-use-only test, compared to RT-PCR as a reference standard, in 217 participants at a federal tertiary hospital in Abakaliki, Nigeria. We recruited participants between Feb 17, 2022, and April 17, 2023. The RDT was performed using capillary blood at the patient bedside and using plasma at the laboratory. The performance of the test, based on REASSURED criteria, was assessed for user friendliness, rapidity and robustness, sensitivity, and specificity. Participants were aged between 0 and 85 years, with a median age of 33·0 years (IQR 22·0-44·3), and 24 participants were younger than 18 years. 107 (50%) participants were women and 109 (50%) were men; one participant had missing sex data. Although the specificity of the Pan-Lassa RDT was high (>90%), sensitivity at bedside using capillary blood was estimated as 4% (95% CI 1-14) at 15 min and 10% (3-22) at 25 min, far below the target of 90%. The laboratory-based RDT using plasma showed better sensitivity (46% [32-61] at 15 min and 50% [36-64] at 25 min) but did not reach the target sensitivity. Among the 52 PCR-positive participants with Lassa fever, positive RDT results were associated with lower cycle threshold values (glycoprotein precursor [GPC] gene mean 30·3 [SD 4·3], Large [L] gene mean 32·3 [3·7] vs GPC gene mean 24·5 [3·9], L gene mean 28·0 [3·6]). Personnel conducting the bedside test procedure reported being hindered by the inconvenient use of full personal protective equipment and long waiting procedures before a result could be read. The Pan-Lassa RDT is not currently recommended as a diagnostic or screening tool for suspected Lassa fever cases. Marked improvement in sensitivity and user friendliness is needed for the RDT to be adopted clinically. There remains an urgent need for better Lassa fever diagnostics to promote safety of in-hospital care and better disease outcomes in low-resource settings. Médecins Sans Frontières.

Quality of Urban Infrastructural Service Accessibility and Human Well-being in Sub-Saharan Africa

Urban infrastructure critically influences how urban people carry their lives and mediates how services central to human well-being are accessed. Therefore, the main of this study is twofold: One, the study interrogates how the quality of urban infrastructural service accessibility influences human well-being, and two, how governance interactively with urban infrastructural services affects human well-being using balanced panel data from 2000 to 2020 from 22 Sub-Saharan African countries. Applying the Driscoll-Kraay and Two-Step Instrumental Variable Generalized Method of Moments (2SIV-GMM) in panel dynamic model setup, we uncover that increasing the quality of accessing urban infrastructural services results in enhanced human well-being. Interrogating the role of governance on human well-being, the findings depict a significant detrimental interactive effect between governance and urban infrastructural services on human well-being. Accounting for rapid urbanization in the Sub-Saharan African region, the results illustrate significant negative control effects of urbanization rate and aftermath urban agglomeration on human well-being. Conclusively, effective government policies that influence higher levels of human well-being in regions with large urban agglomerations are paramount. Thus, effective government investments in urban infrastructural services in Sub-Saharan Africa remain a vital sustainability policy agenda.

The Unmasking of Autism in South Africa and Nigeria.

This review is of interest to researchers, policymakers, and healthcare professionals working in the field of autism in Africa. The review aims to describe autism in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on South Africa and Nigeria regarding prevalence, incidence, identification, treatment, and attitudes towards autistic children. There are several challenges, such as lack of awareness, limited access to professional support and diagnostic tools, and cultural considerations in establishing the autism prevalence in the African region compared to other parts of the world. Additionally, South Africans and Nigerians exhibit diverse perspectives and attitudes that significantly influence the provision of treatment, including stigma and misconceptions held by healthcare professionals themselves. As a result, it is difficult to determine prevalence in South Africa and Nigeria. However, research has indicated that autism prevalence is rising globally, and in these contexts. Rising prevalence highlights the need to increase access to services, rehabilitation, and provide support to families of children with autism. Furthermore, research has emphasized the inequitable support and access available to families living in low-and high-income households and the need to provide contextually relevant and responsive interventions, education and training, research and policy in these countries.

Meaning-focused coping as a cultural process: A mixed quantitative and PhotoVoice study of adolescents with Arab backgrounds overcoming stigma and harassment

Poor mental health among U.S. adolescents has reach epidemic proportions, with those from the Middle East and North African region exhibiting increased risk for distress and suicide ideation. This mixed-methods study analyzes quantitative data from first- and second-generation Arab adolescents (n = 171) and qualitative data from a participatory study conducted with 11 adolescents of the same population to understand the role of cultural resources in coping. Drawing on the Intersectional Theory of Cultural Repertoires in Health, we show that: 1) cultural resources underlie meaning-making throughout coping; 2) coping strategies are inseparable from the influence of peer and familial relationships, as dictated through the social norms and other cultural resources; 3) collectively held repertoires of coping can promote belonging, affirm identity, and protect against discrimination; and 4) the outcomes of coping strategies, and the culturally informed meaning individuals make of these outcomes, influence their future coping behaviors.

A Contrastive Analysis of Word Formation Processes in Interrogating Widespread Democratic Decay and Breakdown in some West African Countries

In contemporary times democracy is threatened across West African states like never before. Democracy is under increasing assault from  the elected leaders and their cronies. A noticeable, subtle, stifling strangulation of democratic structures and substance leads to the  erosion of democracy in more than a few West African countries and a total breakdown of democracy through coups in others.  Despite the attempts by the ECOWAS and AU to discourage democratic breakdown in Africa, military intervention continues to truncate  democracies in many African countries. This paper interrogated the root-causes of the prevalence of democratic breakdown in West  African countries and the factors sustaining military interventions in the region. Building upon earlier scholarly work on democratic  breakdown and deploying the doctrinal research methodology, the researcher analysed the resurgence of and effects of military  intervention and truncation of democratic practices in West Africa. The findings of this research showed that military intervention is edging West African countries to the precipice and there have been more than a few complete democratic breakdowns in West African  countries in recent times. In conclusion, the researcher offers suggestions on how democratic breakdown can be arrested in the West  African region and/or reduce its occurrence by advocacy, enthronement of good governance, citizenship participation, application of the  rule of law, and upholding of constitutional provisions.

Convolutional Neural Networks to Facilitate the Continuous Recognition of Arabic Speech with Independent Speakers

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) is a field of research that focuses on the ability of computers to process and interpret speech feedback from humans and to provide the highest degree of accuracy in recognition. Speech is one of the simplest ways to convey a message in a basic context, and ASR refers to the ability of machines to process and accept speech data from humans with the greatest degree of accuracy. As the human-to-machine interface continues to evolve, speech recognition is expected to become increasingly important. However, the Arabic language has distinct features that set it apart from other languages, such as the dialect and the pronunciation of words. Until now, insufficient attention has been devoted to continuous Arabic speech recognition research for independent speakers with a limited database. This research proposed two techniques for the recognition of Arabic speech. The first uses a combination of convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) encoders, and an attention-based decoder, and the second is based on the Sphinx-4 recognizer, which includes pocket sphinx, base sphinx, and sphinx train, with various types and number of features to be extracted (filter bank and mel frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC)) based on the CMU Sphinx tool, which generates a language model for different sentences spoken by different speakers. These approaches were tested on a dataset containing 7 hours of spoken Arabic from 11 Arab countries, covering the Levant, Gulf, and African regions, which make up the Arab world, and achieved promising results. CNN-LSTM achieved a word error rate (WER) of 3.63% using 120 features for filter bank and 4.04% WER using 39 features for MFCC, respectively, while the Sphinx-4 recognizer technique achieved 8.17% WER and an accuracy of 91.83% using 25 features for MFCC and 8 Gaussian mixtures, respectively, when tested on the same benchmark dataset.

Evaluation of Supply Chain Management Challenges of multinational companies in West Africa under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS)

This paper examined the Supply Chain Management challenges of multinational companies in West Africa under the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme. The objective of the study includes to identify the various ECOWAS's regional integration protocols, Assess the level of implementation of ETLS among members state and evaluation of the various negative factors affecting full implementation of ETL, among others. The methodologies adopted includes Qualitative and quantitative method of data collection including literature review, expert interview, survey and case studies over a sample of 150 multinational companies (MNC). The results reveal that Complex and Non-Transparent Regulations exists among the MNC in the West African region, existence of Inadequate Infrastructure and Logistics, Non-Harmonized Trade Facilitation Measures as well as weak institutional co-ordination and enforcements. The study concludes that ETLS presents both opportunities and challenges for MNCs operating in West Africa and recommends among others the Simplification and Harmonization of Trade Regulations, investment in infrastructures and logistics as well as strengthening of institutional co-ordinations and enforcements.