Landlocked Research Articles

Legal Regime of the Settlement of Disputes Arising from a Contract of Multimodal Carriage of Goods within CEMAC Land lock Countries

CEMAC landlocked countries (specifically Chad and Central African Republic) depend solely on Cameroon who serves as a transit state for the transportation of goods to and from these landlocked countries. Thus, the entering into bilateral conventions helped to facilitate and create transit corridors for the transportation of goods amongst these countries. Meanwhile Cameroon which serves as a transit state to these landlocked countries has four modes of transport (road, rail, water and air), while Chad and Central African Republic have just two or three principal mode of transportation namely road, rail and air. However, these modes of transportation pose unique challenges, particularly in countries with limited infrastructure. Through doctrinal analysis of both primary and secondary sources of data, this article seeks to examine the legal framework in resolving disputes arising from contracts of multimodal carriage of goods available to landlocked countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). Our findings revealed that, the legal framework in resolving disputes arising from contracts of multimodal carriage of goods available to landlocked countries are not effectively implemented. As a result, some salient recommendations have been made to bridge the gap between theory and practice amongst these countries in general and Cameroon in particular.

Assessment of Effects of Port Tariffs on Dar Es Salaam Port Cargo Traffic

The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of port tariffs on Dar es Salaam cargo traffic. Specifically, the study aimed to assess the current situation for cargo traffic at Dar es Salaam port, to assess the effect of port tariffs to importers and exporters of cargo, and to find out possible measure to mitigate the port tariffs challenges facing Dar es Salaam port. This study used descriptive layout to study, describe and record aspects of scenario as they arise in a given populace. The study was conducted in Dar es Salaam port, Shipping Company and Clearing and Forwarding agents of Dar es Salaam. The study employed the following respondents like Port officer, Importer, Exporter, Ship agents, clearing and Forwarding agents. Primary data were collected by using questionnaires, interviews and observations. Secondary data were also collected from various documentary sources, such as Annual Reports of TPA for five year back from 2016- 2020 but the primary data use to support secondary data. The research finding show that in assess the current situation for cargo traffic at Dar es Salaam port there is fluctuation of amount of cargo import and transshipment but cargo export increase for every year, in assess the effect of port tariffs to importers and exporter the number of ships call to Dar es Salaam port fluctuate. Also the possible measure to mitigate the port tariffs challenges facing Dar es Salaam port, the customer need port tariffs to be reviewed. Dar es Salaam port is the starting and ending point for maritime transport which links six surrounding land-locked countries. These countries depend on the port of Dar es Salaam for facilitating the passage of their exports and the importation of goods. The study recommends reviewing the port tariffs for at least for every two years for purposes of getting more customers which lead to increase government revenue and make Dar es Salaam port to be strong in competition of shipping business with other neighboring port.

Religious Conflict in Central African Republic

One of the challenges facing the world today is the issue of religious conflict. The consequences of the above are unimaginable for a land-locked country like Central African Republic (CAR). Conflicts there have led to the destruction of lives and properties in the last decades of the country's nationhood. There is a strong link between religion and violence, and this link has a long genealogy in Western scholarship. It is against this background that this research addresses the political and economic effects of the religious conflict in CAR. More than half of the respondents in this study agreed that the use of religion as an instrument to acquire political power led to the conflict in CAR. Since religion is a major source of soft power, it is used and misused by religious and governmental organizations to pursue their interests. Religion is not inherently violent; instead, it is how people choose to interpret religion that provides justification for violent actions. The study recommends that the government should emphasize the secularity and supremacy of the constitution and religious leaders should establish inter-faith platforms to curb religious crises.

Reflecting on Determinant Factors of Violence in Light of the Governments' Access to Resources, Vested Political Interests and Ethno-religious Identities in the Rwandan Genocide After 25 Years

The research sought to know the primary determinant factors of violence in light of the governments' access to resources and vested political interests on the one hand and ethno-religious identities on the other in the context of the Rwandan Genocide. The Instrumentalism Theory of Ethnicity guided the research. The research used a qualitative research design within the phenomenological approach. A non-probability snowball sampling technique was used. The data collection method was interviews; hence, the data collection instruments were interview guides. A total of ten participants from the Republic of Rwanda participated in the interviews. Thematic data analysis was used to arrive at the research result. The research findings pointed to the determinant factors of violence linked to colonial powers, governments and ethnoreligious identities. The political interests and the resource issues of the governments are stronger determinants of violence than the ethnoreligious identities. This means that religion, ethnicity, and other cultural grievances remained secondary or instrumental factors that the external and internal governments utilised in the history of Rwanda. In addition, the research found that religion and ethnicity are important agents in exacerbating conflict and building peace and social transformation in the aftermath of conflicts. They bring the warring parties into reconciliation, healing, and enhancing peace. Therefore, the research findings concluded that the lack of natural resources, Rwanda being a land-locked country, and overpopulation of the geographical space exposed the people of Rwanda to virtual poverty. This socio-economic reality exacerbated the government's desperate search for access to meagre resources by external and internal political and ethnic authorities. Hence, the primary cause of the genocide was the desperate search for resources and political manoeuvres to secure them by holding on to power at any cost. The article recommends that all the stakeholders of Rwanda's peace and development must stand shoulder to shoulder to reduce poverty and create good governance.

1 - Towards Unpacking the Origin and Development of Eswatini (Swazi) Irredentism

This article sets out to examine the origin and development of Eswatini irredentism in southern Africa as a neglected theme in African scholarship. Eswatini irredentist disputes, albeit unresolved, have been a subject of mere peripheral allusion in southern African scholarship. The global importance of irredentism as a phenomenon in international relations since the end of the Cold War makes this study imperative. How the smallest and landlocked state on the Southern African mainland can audaciously and persistently make territorial claims against its giant South African neighbour is intriguing, paradoxical and worth investigating. The study methodology involved the use of archival documentation, newspaper articles, government gazettes, in- depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGD). This study revealed that Eswatini irredentism is ethnic nationalism par excellence and its roots were nurtured by the imperial order and South Africa before Eswatini’s independence. After independence in 1968, Eswatini irredentism blossomed on historical and ethnic foundations, and was tolerated and fanned by South Africa as a strategy of surreptitiously establishing an Eswatini Bantustan for the resettlement of ethnic Eswatini people and other blacks. The post-apartheid South African governments did a volte-face and rejected persistent Eswatini irredentist claims in toto nourished by the Sobhuza Testament.

MAPPING TRADITION AND MODERNIZATION: A STUDY ON THE EVOLUTION OF COSTUMES OF THE TRIPURI AND REANG WOMEN IN TRIPURA

Tripura is a land-locked state in Northeast India that comprises of multiple communities. Majorly dominated by the Tribal and Bengali communities, this state has witnessed drastic changes in its culture and heritage. Since partition, a huge demographic and ethnographic change has ushered in major challenges for the tribal communities. One such major change was witnessed in the evolution of Tripuri and Reang costumes. The traditional dresses of the communities faced historic challenges that questioned their personal and collective identity. The impact of westernization and modernization on Tripuri dressing culture shall be analysed in this paper. This paper shall also try to study how patterns of cloth and style of dressing have evolved due to the impact of global culture over the local culture. The reasons for the evolution shall be mapped through qualitative data collected from different people (of different communities) belonging to different parts of the state.

Temporary trade shocks and regional development: evidence from the closure of Abidjan port

Abstract Can temporary trade restrictions reshape regional development? To analyze this, we exploit the Cote d’Ivoire civil war that disrupted access to Abidjan port for neighboring land-locked countries: Mali and Burkina Faso. Estimates from a difference-in-difference design suggest negative effects on economic activity and a reverse structural change in the treatment communes. We find evidence of persistence through irreversible investment in built-up areas and divergence in the growth of nightlights. Treatment communes at the intermediate distance from the nearest city experienced stronger adverse impacts, driven partly by a relocation to the communes close to other ports.

Is heat stress a growing problem for dairy cattle husbandry in the temperate regions? A case study of Baden-Württemberg in Germany.

Heat stress with measurable effects in dairy cattle is a growing concern in temperate regions. Heat stress in temperate regions differs between environments with different geophysical characteristics. Microclimates specific to each environment were found to greatly impact at what level heat stress occurs and will occur in the future. The landlocked state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, provides several different environments, hence, a good case-study. Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) from 17 weather stations for the years 2003 to 2022 was calculated and milking yields from 22 farms for the years 2017 to 2022 were collected. The occurrences and evolving patterns of heat stress were analyzed with the use of a THI, and the effect of heat stress on milk yield was analyzed based on milking records from Automated Milking Systems. Daily average THI was calculated using hourly readings of relative humidity and ambient temperature, disregarding solar radiation and wind, as all animals were permanently stabled. Based on studies conducted in Baden-Württemberg and neighboring regions, cited ahead in the section of THI, THI = 60 was the threshold for heat stress occurrence. Findings show that the heat stress period varied between stations from 64 to 120 d with THI ≥ 60 in a year. This aligns with yearly and summer averages, also steadily increasing from May to September. The length of the heat stress period was found to increase 1 extra day every year. Extreme weather events such as heat waves did not increase the heat stress period of that year in length but increased the average THI. Milk yield was found to be significantly (α = 0.05) different between counties grouped into different zones according to heat stress severity and rate of increase in daily average THI. Future attempts at managing heat stress on dairy cattle farms in the temperate regions should account for microclimate, as geographical proximity does not mean that the increase in heat stress severity will be the same in the 2 neighboring areas.

Access to the Ocean: An Evaluation of the Regime of the Rights Accredited to the Landlocked States Under the Unclos, 1982

Access to the Ocean: An Evaluation of the Regime of the Rights Accredited to the Landlocked States Under the Unclos, 1982

Aquaculture in Zambia: The Current Status, Challenges, Opportunities and Adaptable Lessons Learnt from China

As a land-locked country in Southern Africa, Zambia is rich in natural resources suitable for fish production. However, aquaculture is still in its infancy with enormous potential as most of Zambia’s fish now comes from capture fisheries. The aim of this study was to review the recent progress, status, challenges, and opportunities in Zambia’s aquaculture industry while drawing some lessons from China’s aquaculture experience, focusing on policy instruments, external support, quality seeds, and the investment environment for possible adaptation. To achieve this, we reviewed the existing literature about aquaculture in Zambia. This paper starts by reviewing the overall fishery sector’s developments based on the analysis of relevant statistics over decades before narrowing down to the aquaculture sub-sector. The review shows that aquaculture production has continued to expand significantly and will soon play a leading role in food and nutrition security in Zambia. However, the industry still faces major challenges relating to investments, science and technology, fish seed and feed, and an underdeveloped value chain besides the increasing demand for fish products. Nevertheless, great potential still exists to further develop the aquaculture sub-sector and meet the ever-growing demand for fish products caused mainly by the rapid population increase.

A Study on Major Factors for Building Hinterland of International Airport in Landlocked Country: Case of Chinggis Khaan Airport

It is crucial for urban and regional planners, policymakers, and stakeholders involved in airport development and management to understand and acknowledge the importance of an airport’s hinterland. The relationship between the airport and its surrounding areas is synergistic, and it plays a vital role in promoting sustainable growth and development not only locally but also regionally and internationally. Therefore, acknowledging the significance of an airport’s hinterland is essential for ensuring sustainable and responsible development in the long run. This research studies the possibility of building a new hinterland to improve the operation of Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Mongolia. The importance of the various factors is determined based on survey results from industry experts and then obtained via the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Given our results, the government of Mongolia could identify the areas that it needs to concentrate on to improve its international airport in terms of cargo volume.

Systematic, Point-of-Care Newborn Screening and Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease in Rural Mali, West Africa: Results from an Ongoing Implementation Project

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is highly prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa and is a significant source of under-5 mortality. Accurate characterization of the disease prevalence is difficult to determine due to the absence of systematic newborn screening in most African countries. Mali is a land-locked West African country with a high burden of sickle cell disease. Despite the critical need for early diagnosis of SCD to improve survival, wide scale diagnostic efforts utilizing IEF or HPLC in sub-Saharan Africa have been limited by a paucity of laboratory equipment and trained personnel, unreliable supply chain for consumables, and overall expense. Point-of-Care (POC) testing for SCD is advancing rapidly and has the potential to reduce these barriers. This analysis will review the results of an ongoing POC newborn screening program for SCD at a single rural hospital in Mali and will evaluate the acceptance rates and basic outcomes of resource-adapted treatment. Methods: Between March 2019 and March 2023, all newborns at Koutiala Women's and Children's Hospital in Koutiala, Mali were offered screening for SCD with the HemoTypeSC ™ POC test kit (Silver Lake Research, California, USA). After verbal consent, heel-stick samples were procured within the first 24 hours of life. The samples were processed according to the package insert. The results were available within 10 minutes and were provided to the caregiver prior to discharge. Newborns who were found to have sickle cell disease were referred to the SCD treatment program where they were offered ongoing access to basic treatment measures such as antibiotic prophylaxis, malaria prevention, and hydroxycarbamide therapy. Parents of infants with HbSS who had not been seen in the clinic for follow-up within at least 6 months were contacted by phone at the time of this analysis to provide an update on their clinical status. Families of infants with HbS trait or HbC trait received appropriate genetic counseling. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired t-test. Results: 11,938 infants were born over the study period and 11,818 (99%) received POC screening. Screening results revealed Hb S trait; n=1,119 (9.47%), Hb C trait; n=1,285 (10.87%), Hemoglobin SS; n=81 (0.69%), Hemoglobin SC; n=100 (0.85%), and homozygous C; n=20 (0.54%). In all, 181 infants (1.54%) were found to have sickle cell disease and were offered follow-up care in the SCD treatment program at Koutiala Hospital. In addition, 2,404 infants (20.34%) were found to be carriers of either HbC trait or HbS trait. The mean age of those children diagnosed with HbSS and HbSC at the time of this analysis was 22.20mo (3-42mo) and 21.46mo (4-37mo), respectively. 89% (n=72) of the infants with HbSS received ongoing disease management. Penicillin prophylaxis was accepted in 82% (n=59) of the children in this cohort. Additionally, 44% (n=32) were started on hydroxycarbamide at a low, fixed dose (20ml/kg/day) based on disease severity parameters. Mean MCV for those children receiving hydroxycarbamide was 89.06fL (+/- 9.5fL) and for the non-hydroxycarbamide group was 79.83fL (+/- 14.3fL) (p= 0.025). While the most common reason for clinical follow-up was routine treatment, patients were also seen for fever, malaria treatment, and bone pain episodes. Based on clinical records and phone follow-up, there were two confirmed deaths (2.5%) in the HbSS cohort. One infant died of non-SCD complications on the first day of life and the other died at 6 months of age without returning to the clinic for follow-up treatment. Conclusions: This program is the first to examine the impact of systematic POC infant screening and treatment for SCD in rural Mali, West Africa. The low cost and rapidity of POC testing resulted in a high rate of newborns screened and positively impacted the success of clinical follow-up. POC testing results were comparable when reviewed alongside historical IEF-based screening at Koutiala Hospital (Table 1). The higher percentage of infants screened by POC when compared to IEF may have been slightly affected by an increase in the general awareness of SCD amongst the regional population. There was a high acceptance rate of ongoing clinical care (89%) and low death rate (2.5%) within the HbSS cohort which may be attributable to early access to diagnosis and treatment. Results from a larger patient size and longer treatment duration will provide more insight into the benefits of POC screening in this setting.

Identifying target areas for risk-based surveillance and control of transboundary animal diseases: a seasonal analysis of slaughter and live-trade cattle movements in Uganda

Animal movements are a major driver for the spread of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs). These movements link populations that would otherwise be isolated and hence create opportunities for susceptible and infected individuals to meet. We used social network analysis to describe the seasonal network structure of cattle movements in Uganda and unravel critical network features that identify districts or sub-regions for targeted risk-based surveillance and intervention. We constructed weighted, directed networks based on 2019 between-district cattle movements using official livestock mobility data; the purpose of the movement (‘slaughter’ vs. ‘live trade’) was used to subset the network and capture the risks more reliably. Our results show that cattle trade can result in local and long-distance disease spread in Uganda. Seasonal variability appears to impact the structure of the network, with high heterogeneity of node and edge activity identified throughout the seasons. These observations mean that the structure of the live trade network can be exploited to target influential district hubs within the cattle corridor and peripheral areas in the south and west, which would result in rapid network fragmentation, reducing the contact structure-related trade risks. Similar exploitable features were observed for the slaughter network, where cattle traffic serves mainly slaughter hubs close to urban centres along the cattle corridor. Critically, analyses that target the complex livestock supply value chain offer a unique framework for understanding and quantifying risks for TADs such as Foot-and-Mouth disease in a land-locked country like Uganda. These findings can be used to inform the development of risk-based surveillance strategies and decision making on resource allocation. For instance, vaccine deployment, biosecurity enforcement and capacity building for stakeholders at the local community and across animal health services with the potential to limit the socio-economic impact of outbreaks, or indeed reduce their frequency.

BHUTAN AS AN EXEMPLAR MODEL FOR COVID-19 MANAGEMENT

This paper attempts to study the success story of a tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan which has been able to wedge worldwide attention and appreciations for having the lowest COVID-19 case-counts and fatalities. Bhutan has so far accomplished to keep the ‘invisible enemy’ at bay despite of being a low middle income, developing and vulnerable landlocked country having porous border with India and nascent health care system. So, this paper will look into Bhutan’s pandemic trajectory, preventive measures, preparedness and responses until now. It will explore Bhutan’s COVID-19 management strategies since the onset of the outbreak from two levels: 1) instantaneous policy responses and extraordinary leadership roles of its Constitutional and political heads and; 2) Bhutanese commitment in offering multifarious community support in battling with the pandemic. It will also evaluate the determinants of Bhutan’s COVID-19 resilience despite of facing many challenges. The methodology adopted in this paper is content analysis of facts, data and materials available from both primary and secondary sources.

Exploring the Funding Challenges Faced by Small NGOs: Perspectives from an Organization with Practical Experience of Working in Rural Malawi.

Malawi is a small landlocked country in Southern Africa, which faces a number of development challenges. It is one of the world's poorest nations and over 70% of the population live below the International Poverty Line of $2.15 per day. Health inequalities are a well-documented problem and those most affected are women and children. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a vital role in supplementing government efforts to provide health services to vulnerable people in areas that are difficult to reach. The World Medical Fund (WMF) is a small medical charity that operates in the central, rural, Nkhotakota region of Malawi where many children lack access to even basic health services. To date, WMF has successfully provided free care and treatment for over 400,000 sick children, but its initiatives, such as mobile clinics, rely entirely on external donations. Since 2000, the funding resources available to small NGOs have declined and efforts to attract funding have become increasingly competitive. Frequently, the criteria used for funding decisions are too rigid, and do not reflect the difficult operating conditions on the ground in rural Africa. As one of the world's most highly resource constrained healthcare environments, Malawi illustrates the need for more flexible funding criteria from donors so that NGOs can carry out their work to save children's lives.

External powers involvement in the Horn of Africa: implications for Ethiopia’s security

ABSTRACT External power penetration in the Horn of Africa (HoA) is an enduring phenomenon that affects states in the region. The post-9/11 period saw a return of foreign military bases in the HOA region on an unprecedented scale. Ethiopia, as a landlocked state, depends on its coastal neighbors for sea outlets. Ethiopia’s security is inextricably linked to that of its neighbors; events in neighboring countries influence Ethiopia and vice versa. The aim of this article is to examine the implications of foreign military bases/presences in HoA for Ethiopia’s security. The study employed a qualitative method, relying on primary and secondary data from expert interviews, journal articles, documents, and other sources. This study contends that extra-African military bases and actors in the region complicate Ethiopia’s relationship with both its littoral neighbors and the basing states, with mixed geopolitical, economic, and security ramifications.

Bolivia: geopolitics of a landlocked state

Journal Article Bolivia: geopolitics of a landlocked state Get access Bolivia: geopolitics of a landlocked state. By Ronald Bruce St John. New York: Routledge. 2021. 264pp. Pb.: £36.99. isbn 978 1 03209 117 4. Available as e-book. Carolina Cepeda-Másmela Carolina Cepeda-Másmela Pontifical Javierian University, Colombia Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar International Affairs, Volume 99, Issue 3, May 2023, Pages 1367–1368, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiac290 Published: 02 May 2023

OD WOLNOŚCI DO RÓWNOŚCI. PAŃSTWA ŚRÓDLĄDOWE KONTRA MIĘDZYNARODOWE PRAWO MORZA – WYBRANE ZAGADNIENIA

The author, starting with the presentation of the acts of the international law of the sea that are most relevant to the presented subject, describes the evolution of the definition of a landlocked state, and the genesis and development of the freedom of the high seas. The author, by means of the dogmatic and historical analysis of the normative acts, seeks an answer to the question: Can the occurrence of actual inequality lead to inequality or to apparent equality, manifested in normative acts? When examining the above issue in relation to the states’ experience, a thesis has been advanced about the seemingly editorial nature of the freedom of the high seas in the context of its exercise by landlocked states. This may suggest apparent inequality of states observable in the international law. The author argues that, despite some unfavourable codification changes, the landlocked states gain a number of rights that significantly reduce the discriminatory nature of the remaining provisions, and international experience shows that the position of the landlocked states in international relations is strong.

Overlay

Overlay

Afghanistan factor in regional energy security and trade: Existing and projected challenges and opportunities

<abstract> <p>Asia, where future world economic development is predicted and most of the energy resources are buried, has not been able to utilize its energy resources efficiently and remained at the core of political tensions, conflicts, terrorism and wars for decades. Major producers and consumers of fossil energy are located in this continent, and the potential of a vast energy market is inevitable. There are several challenges and opportunities associated with the energy trade in the region. On the one hand, the rivalries and competition over energy resources and territorial ownership and control between the USA, China and Russia have been the sources of most political and security issues in the region. However, on the other hand, the fast economic growth and availability of energy resources open up numerous trade and connectivity opportunities for the region. Afghanistan is a strategic state that serves as a geographic land-based hub for South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East. It is no longer considered a land-locked country, but a strategic and key land link for the whole region. Afghanistan is the most economical and inimitable terrestrial corridor for the regional energy trade and transit upon which all stakeholders agree. Stability in Afghanistan will significantly change the importance of this region and open up doors for the realization of various mega projects, businesses and cultural exchange opportunities. Energy, as a strategic commodity for all of the regional countries, especially India and China as major consumers at present and in the future, will be a mega trade and connectivity opportunity.</p> </abstract>