African States Research Articles

Resolving labour disputes within african international organizations

The article describes the internal mechanisms for resolving labour disputes between staff and administration within african international intergovernmental organisations, such as: African Union, Southern African Development Community, Economic Community of West African States. It is indicated that within the African Union there are informal and formal stages of dispute resolution – an appeal for review to the chairperson or competent authority of any other body and an appeal to the Administrative Tribunal. It is noted that the Administrative Tribunal is competent to consider applications for violations of the Staff Rules and Regulations; non-observance of contracts of employment and any other acts of employment; and, in certain cases, complaints about disciplinary sanctions. It is emphasised that the feature of protection of labour rights of the African Union staff is the provision enshrined in the Staff Rules and Regulations, according to which a staff member may, under certain circumstances, appeal to the African Court of Justice and Human Rights. It is stated that the Southern African Development Community Administrative Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear and resolve labour disputes between the Community Secretariat and any of its institutions. The Tribunal has two levels: First Instance and Appeal Board. It is noted that the system of internal labour dispute resolution of the Economic Community of West African States provides for the submission of an application for review, hierarchical recourse, and referral of the case to the Committee for Conciliation of Staff and Dispute Resolution. An Inter-Institutional Appeals Committee is established to deal with disciplinary appeals in relation to the application of the Staff Regulations, to which employees or their next of kin can apply. It is stated that the staff of any institution may apply to the Court of Justice of the Community after the staff member has exhausted all appeal procedures available to the official under the ECOWAS Staff Rules and Regulations.

Minimum Capital Requirements for Banks and the Financing of the Economies of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa1

Abstract This article analyses the impact of minimum bank capital on the financing of economies of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa over the period 1998-2020, based on data from the Bank of Central African States and the annual reports and bulletins of the Banking Commission of Central Africa. To do this, we analysed the impact of minimum bank capital requirements on the real cost of credit, the term structure of credit and on economic agents with financing needs. We used a panel VAR specification estimated using the Generalised Method of Moments and impulse response function analysis based on Monte Carlo simulations to arrive at two main results: minimum bank capital reduces the cost of credit and increases the economy’s credit level. The conclusion is that regulators would benefit from encouraging credit institutions to increase the current level of bank capital in order to benefit from the positive effects of minimum bank capital.

Foreign Investment in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations: Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects

African countries remain stubbornly plagued by fragility and conflict-affected conditions. Out of thirty-seven countries categorized as fragile and conflict-affected states, African countries are nineteen in number representing about 51% of the total states. The remaining African countries that are excluded in this list do not fare better in institutional and social fragility index, nor are they delivering enduring peace and sustainable development to their populace. The African Union (AU)’s approval of the Phase II of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) constitutes a pragmatic approach to use investment framework to change the climate of fragility and conflict. Foreign investment presents a veritable opportunity to turn the fragile and conflict-affected African states into a hub of peace and development. The increase in international investment brings with it the spillover of skills, know-how and technology into the host state. Additionally, foreign investment increases employment and revenue generation, diversification and improvement in the quality of products and services, and overall improvement in the standard of living. Equitable and inclusive sharing of revenues from natural resources similarly promotes societal cohesion and limits the triggers of institutional fragility. Consequently, this paper seeks to explore the modalities for the use of foreign investment as a pathway to inclusive development in African countries plagued by fragility and conflict.

Rapid regional mobile laboratory response and genomic monkeypox virus (MPXV) surveillance in seven East African Community partner states, August 2024: preparedness activities for the ongoing outbreak.

The East African Community (EAC) is experiencing an unprecedented, emerging mpox outbreak since July 2024 in five of eight partner states. We highlight rapid regional response measures, initiated August 2024 coordinated by EAC: field deployment of six mobile laboratories in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan to high-risk areas, donation of one mobile laboratory to Democratic Republic of the Congo and genomic monkeypox virus (MPXV) surveillance support. These interventions aim to limit local mpox spread and support international containment.

Information is Power, Technology is Apropos and Food Security is a Must in Africa in the Post COVID-19 African States

Information is Power, Technology is Apropos and Food Security is a Must in Africa in the Post COVID-19 African States

A Natural Jewel Threatened by Maritime Insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea, an area rich in natural beauty and natural resources such as oil, gas, and fisheries, faces serious threats from widespread maritime piracy activities. The region is an important economic center, but maritime insecurity threatens its economic stability and development. Numerous regional and international initiatives have been undertaken to enhance security in these waterways, such as the Nigerian government's "Deep Blue" project and collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The UN Security Council has also passed a resolution to address this threat. Despite this, challenges remain significant due to the high number of attacks and significant economic impact. Addressing this issue requires continued cooperation between countries in the Gulf of Guinea region and the international community to ensure security and sustainable exploration in this region​.

Monkeypox (MPOX): Unmasking the Lesser-known Viral Threat

Monkeypox (Mpox) is caused by a viral infection and has been endemic in several African states after the last outbreak throughout the world in 2003. This disease resurfaced in the year 2022 and has since spread worldwide, even in countries where no cases had been reported in the earlier outbreak. While the world was still recovering from the menace of corona virus disease 2019 this virus; having similar features, started to spread across the world affecting thousands of people. The virus can be transmitted from human to human, and to humans from bites and scratches of infected animals. Common signs and symptoms include rashes and lymphadenopathy, accompanied with fever. Preventive measures for the Mpox virus include: using masks and alcohol-based hand sanitizers, practicing social distancing in crowded areas and practicing safe sexual activities. ACAM2000 and LC16m8 are a few vaccines available for its treatment. Early diagnosis and timely treatment of the disease have helped to curb the incidence and mortality of Mpox. Through this article, we discuss the history of infection, mode of transmission, the genomic data of the virus along with its signs and symptoms and its prevention and treatment using available vaccines. World governments and healthcare providers need to act appropriately in order to combat another such outbreak, as this disease has not been eradicated yet.

Visa-on-arrival, ECOWAS-free Mobility and the Securitisation of the Intra-African Migration in Nigeria

Over the years, Nigeria’s regional hegemonic leadership in (West) Africa, especially within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, has been debated within academic and foreign relations circles. A major component of this regional leadership aspiration was its quest for a ‘borderless Africa’. As an important arrowhead of its pro-African foreign policy, the Nigerian government proactively crafted a benign national border policy to give practical expression to the free mobility of persons and goods within the West African subregion. Despite a demonstrable commitment to free mobility within Africa over the years, Abuja suddenly imposed a restrictive border policy shortly after it signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and approved the contentious visa-on-arrival for African migrants. Considering this context, this study makes three arguments: First, it interrogates the rationale behind the liberal border diplomacy of the Nigerian government. Secondly, the paper contends that the inability to ‘silence the guns’ in Africa despite all efforts has seriously militated against the aspiration for intra-African mobility and borderless Community in West Africa. Lastly, the study examines the dire implications of Nigerian nationalistic border diplomacy and its declining soft power for the future of ‘borderless West Africa’.

Operational risk management, financial sector stability and sustainable development in West Africa

Achieving sustainable development in West Africa is vital for integrating environmental, social and economic well-being in the region. This study examines the impact of operational risk management and financial sector’s stability on sustainable development in West Africa, focusing on countries that are members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 2015 to 2022. Data from the World Development Indicators (WDI) and country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) were analyzed using the systems GMM to control for endogeneity. The study found conflicting results for financial sector stability’s impact on adjusted net savings and the sustainable development index. While financial sector stability had a negative effect on adjusted net savings, it had a positive impact on the sustainable development index. Additionally, environmental taxes were found to contribute to sustainable development by promoting efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. In conclusion, addressing operational risks, ensuring financial sector stability and promoting sustainable development can help achieve SDGs 8, 9, and 11, creating a stable, inclusive, and resilient economic environment conducive to long-term growth and sustainability in West Africa.

Polityka zagraniczna Austrii wobec państw afrykańskich po II wojnie światowej

AUSTRIA’S FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS AFRICAN COUNTRIES AFTER WORLD WAR IIAfter the restoration of sovereignty in 1955, a neutral Austria developed intensive contacts with developing countries. Vienna’s open attitude towards them fostered a positive image of the country, also within African states. The peak of activity in the political dialogue with Africa came during the so-called Kreisky era. The activist foreign policy was not accompanied by effective development aid though. From the mid-1980s there is an apparent shift away from an active policy of neutrality and global engagement in favour of European politics. After the accession to the European Union, the development cooperation takes priority and the African continent becomes one of three key regions. The cooperation focuses on the poorest priority countries south of the Sahara: Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Burkina Faso. In spite of programmatic and organisational changes, Austria’s financial contribution still significantly lags behind most small countries of the “old Union”.

Separatyzmy w stosunkach międzynarodowych w Afryce

SEPARATISMS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN AFRICADespite the acceptance by African states of the principle of respect for post‑colonial borders (adopted at the Organisation of African Unity in 1964), the post-colonial period saw more than a dozen cases of separatist movements forming in Africa, seeking to create new states. In two cases, this resulted in a real change of borders – in 1993, Eritrea was created through secession from Ethiopia, and in 2011, the southern provinces of Sudan proclaimed the creation of South Sudan. Effectively, though without international legal recognition, there is Somaliland, which in 1991 proclaimed independence in the northern part of Somalia. In addition, separatist movements have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Katanga and Kasai), Nigeria (Biafra), Tanzania (Zanzibar), Cameroon (Ambazonia), Angola (Cabinda), Senegal (Casamance), Mali (Azawad). Among the causes of each of Africa’s separatisms is a confluence of local factors of a political, ethnic or economic nature. Multi-ethnicity and multiculturalism (resulting from the artificial nature of borders), low levels of socioeconomic development and dysfunctional states generate contradictions, leading to disturbances in the stability of individual countries, and their manifestation sometimes becomes the aspirations of certain social groups to achieve – in the absence of states effectively performing their functions – political independence.

The Crucified People: the Divinized African State and the De-divinized African People

The Crucified People: the Divinized African State and the De-divinized African People

Sustaining success through strategies for post-elimination management of neglected tropical diseases in African Union Member States

Sustaining success through strategies for post-elimination management of neglected tropical diseases in African Union Member States

E-Governments in Africa

Multiple authors have come to view Africa as a victim of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), a continent which has not been able to take part as one of the driving forces of this technological advancement. This is more so true when considering the state of the African continent during the first, second and third industrial revolutions where Africa's role had been of a more minimal nature. This assumption is however not true when considering how multiple countries in Africa have embraced and entrenched technology into the daily operations of their government institutions during the 4IR. Furthermore, it can be identified that the introduction of the 4IR has only led to an increase in the efficiency and effectiveness of African governments and their institutions in the act of service delivery. This illustrates that not only is the African continent ready for this revolution but that it has also been able to take advantage of it. This paper aims to illustrate the growing potential of digitalisation and e-government in African states. It will do this by providing an observation of the development that technology has fostered better service delivery using five African states as case studies, namely South Africa, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda and Tunisia. It aims to analyse the transformations that have taken place from the periods of 2000 to 2022 whether they be an increase in the overall quality of the services provided, or a reduction in time required for the execution of those said services. The paper uses secondary sources as a mechanism to analyse the impact that the introduction of technology has had on government systems in the five African countries. The main focus will be on the ministries of home affairs, finance, education, transport and health and how the incorporation of technology into these departments and departments that are of similar interests in the other countries has assisted in the improvement of the effectiveness of service delivery of these departments.

Can global health security frameworks measure One Health implementation in West Africa?A mixed-methods study

BackgroundThe 2014 outbreak of the Ebola virus disease highlighted the importance of overhauling and transforming healthcare systems in West Africa to improve the ability of individual countries to deal with infectious diseases. As part of this effort, in November 2016 the West African Health Organization (WAHO) began the process of institutionalizing the One Health (OH) approach to health security across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The lack of clear metrics and evaluation frameworks to measure the progress of OH implementation in West Africa has been reported as a challenge. Therefore, this study sought to assess and explore whether the existing metrics of global health security frameworks can measure the successful implementation of OH activities, evaluate the progress made since 2016, and identify key areas for improvement in the region.MethodThe study employed predetermined keywords to select indicators from the International Health Regulations (IHR) Monitoring Frameworks, specifically the State Party Self-Assessment Annual Report (SPAR) and Joint External Evaluation (JEE), deemed relevant to the OH approach. In addition, the COVID-19 performance index scores (severity and recovery) for June 2022 were extracted from the Global COVID-19 Index (GCI). The GCI Recovery Index evaluated the major recovery parameters reported daily to indicate how a country performed on the path to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other countries. National documents were also analyzed using categorical variables to assess the performance status of OH platforms across implementing countries. A quantitative analysis of these indicators was conducted and supplemented with qualitative data gathered through interviews with key stakeholders. Between March and April 2022, we conducted 18 key informant interviews with purposively selected representatives from regional governmental agencies and international multilateral agencies, including ECOWAS member states. Interviews were conducted online, transcribed, and analysed following the tenets of thematic analysis.ResultsOur quantitative analysis revealed no significant association between the implementation status of OH activities and any of the selected indicators from SPAR and JEE. The descriptive analysis of the JEE scores at the country level revealed that countries with existing OH platforms scored relatively higher on the selected JEE indicators than other countries in the pre-implementation stage. OH implementation status did not significantly affect COVID-19 recovery and severity indices. The qualitative findings with relevant stakeholders revealed noteworthy challenges related to insufficient human capacity, inadequate coordination, and a lack of government funding for the sustainability of OH initiatives. Nonetheless, countries in the ECOWAS region are making progress toward the integration of OH into their health security systems.ConclusionStandardized metrics were used to assess the implementation and efficacy of OH systems in the ECOWAS region. Current indicators for monitoring global health security frameworks lack specificity and fail to comprehensively capture essential OH components, particularly at the sub-national level. To ensure consistency and effectiveness across countries, OH implementation metrics that align with global frameworks such as IHR should be developed.

Democracy, Development, and Disintegration: A Case of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Democracy, Development, and Disintegration: A Case of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Resurgence of Military Coups in West Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Resurgence of Military Coups in West Africa

Democratic Rollback in West Africa: Coup Contagion, Sit-tight Tyrants and Best Options for Regional Organisations

Unconstitutional changes of government (UCG) have resurfaced in West Africa, undermining decades of democratic progress. This article examines the effectiveness of intervention strategies by regional organizations, specifically the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in preventing democratic backsliding and mitigating military coups. Despite these organizations’ efforts, their strategies, including diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and military threats, have often yielded limited success. The study investigates the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, highlighting the inconsistency in sanctions application and the internal divisions within ECOWAS that hamper effective intervention. Through a comprehensive review of recent coups in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon, the study explores the broader political and economic factors contributing to instability, such as corruption, weak institutions, and socioeconomic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that enhancing democratic institutions, promoting good governance, and enforcing strict term limits are crucial for long-term stability. This study aims to contribute to the development of more robust frameworks for safeguarding democracy in West Africa, offering recommendations for regional organizations, national governments, and international actors to address the challenges of democratic backsliding and coup contagion.

Integrating science on indigenous arts, culture, and law: A sine qua non for Africa’s true independence from colonialism and eurocentrism

Africa has been fighting against colonialism and Eurocentrism for a long time in an attempt to reverse the regime of oppression and socio-economic marginalization and exploitation, and take back control of its cultural identity and right to self-determination. This adventure requires the recognition and revitalisation of indigenous arts, culture, and law—all of which have been subjugated and ignored during colonial rule. Ironically, the situation has not improved much by the dominating presence of post-independent neo-colonial structures and perpetuated Eurocentric phenomenon that have been ingrained into the socio-cultural and economic fabrics of the African state. This research explores the critical need for integrating science on African indigenous arts, culture, and legal systems, as a way of globalizing as well as revitalizing these elements, towards the ultimate emancipation of the continent from the vestiges of colonialism and Eurocentricism. Relying on the postcolonial, and indigenous knowledge systems theoretical frameworks, the study engages the ethnographic, collaborative and interdisciplinary research approaches, subjecting data obtained to thematic analysis. Underscoring the profound interconnectedness of science, indigenous arts, and cultural heritage, the study argues that combining scientific methods with indigenous African epistemology provides a powerful framework for advancing Africa’s true independence from the protracted legacies of colonialism and Eurocentrism. The research concludes that a holistic integration of these elements therefore, is indispensable for fostering a decolonized and inclusive approach to knowledge production, self-determination and sustainable development, against the background of the rich insights and sustainable practices embedded within the African cultural traditions. Ultimately, the research recommends that embracing and integrating science on indigenous epistemologies can propel Africa towards an emancipated, truly independent, and culturally affirming future, transcending the enduring legacies of colonialism and Eurocentrism.

Comparative Advantage of Trade in Food Products among the Selected East African Community Partner States: Implication for Policy Formulation

Despite the potential benefits of regional trade, economic disparities among East African Community (EAC) member states persist. This study investigated the relationship between trade openness, comparative advantage in food trade, and economic performance within the EAC, focusing on Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. The study adopted export data from the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database, the World Bank, and the International Trade Centre, as well as GDP data from the Bank of Tanzania and the National Bureau of Statistics. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics, causality analysis, Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), and vector autoregressive model. Findings reveal a positive impact of trade openness on Tanzania’s economy but negative impacts on Kenya and Uganda, suggesting Tanzania benefits from EAC integration while Kenya and Uganda face trade challenges. The causality analysis shows that Tanzania’s economic performance drives food exports, trade openness impacts Kenya’s economic performance significantly, and Uganda sees a reciprocal link between economic growth and food exports; however, trade openness does not significantly affect Ugandan economic growth. The analysis of the Balassa index indicates Kenya’s food export advantage, a decline in Uganda’s export advantage since 1996, and Tanzania’s lack of export advantage with potential for improvement. The study recommends cautiously implementing trade openness policies within the EAC to prevent trade distortions and currency devaluation.