South Countries Research Articles

Bilateral health agreements of South Africa: an analysis of issues covered.

The bilateral agreements signed between South Africa and countries in Southern and Eastern Africa are a rare example of efforts to regulate health-related issues in a world region. As far as we know, there are no comparable bilateral health governance mechanisms in regions elsewhere. Furthermore, the rapidly growing literature on global health governance and governance for global health has to date not addressed the issue of patient mobility and how to govern it. In this study, we examine the issues included in these agreements, highlight key issues that they address, identify areas of omission and provide recommendations for improvement. This analysis should inform the development of such governance agreements both in Southern Africa and in regions elsewhere. We obtained 13 bilateral health agreements between South Africa and 11 neighbouring African countries as part of a broader research project examining the impact on health systems of patient mobility in South Africa, and thematically analysed their content and the governance mechanisms described. The agreements appear to be solidarity mechanisms between neighbouring countries. They contain considerable content on health diplomacy, with little on health governance, management and delivery. Nonetheless, given what they do and do not address, and how, they provide a rare insight into mechanisms of global health diplomacy and attempts to address patient mobility and other health-related issues in practice. The agreements appear to be global health diplomacy mechanisms expressing solidarity, emerging from a post-apartheid period, but with little detail of issues covered, and a range of important issues not addressed. Further empirical work is required to understand what these documents mean, particularly in the Covid-19 context, and to understand challenges with their implementation. The documents also raise the need for particular study of bilateral flows and experience of patients and health workers, and how this relates to health system strengthening.

The effect of silver nanoparticles and preparations of various pharmacological groups on the bactericidal activity of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>

Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become one of the most serious threats to public health worldwide. The abuse of antibiotics has contributed to the emergence and transmission of resistance mechanisms among bacteria, jeopardizing the therapeutic potential of antibiotics. Uncontrolled use of drugs leads to the formation of antibiotic resistance due to mutations in chromosomal DNA, as well as the production of plasmids, integrons from other bacteria during horizontal gene transfer. In 2010, the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) accounted for 76% of antibiotic consumption, with India consuming 12.9 billion units and China – 10 billion units. As of 2017, carbapenem-resistant Acetobacter baumannii and Enterobacteriaceae resulted in approximately US$ 281 million in healthcare costs in the United States. According to numerous reports from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 2.3 million episodes of multidrug-resistant microbial diseases resulting in 25,000 deaths are recorded annually in the United States alone. In this regard, the world community of scientists has intensified the study of the combined use of various antibacterial drugs to achieve maximum bactericidal activity. Studies have been conducted to determine the synergistic effect when using combinations of drugs of various pharmacological groups and silver nanoparticles. A significant increase in bactericidal activity by 53.87 times (from 2.528 to 0.0098 mcg/ml) was found with the combined use of AgNPs and DSMO against the reference strain Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25953. While the cultivation of St. aureus isolate with DSMO and silver nanoparticles revealed a sensitivity increase of 128.2 times (from 5.056 to 0.039 mcg/ml).

Trends in the contribution of greenhouse gas emissions from food and beverage purchases in Mexico: 1989–2020

BackgroundAssessing the trends in dietary GHGE considering the social patterning is critical for understanding the role that food systems have played and will play in global emissions in countries of the global south. Our aim is to describe dietary greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) trends (overall and by food group) using data from household food purchase surveys from 1989 to 2020 in Mexico, overall and by education levels and urbanicity.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from 16 rounds of Mexico’s National Income and Expenditure Survey, a nationally representative survey. The sample size ranged from 11,051 in 1989 to 88,398 in 2020. We estimated the mean total GHGE per adult-equivalent per day (kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d) for every survey year. Then, we estimated the relative GHGE contribution by food group for each household. These same analyses were conducted stratifying by education and urbanicity.ResultsThe mean total GHGE increased from 3.70 (95%CI: 3.57, 3.82) to 4.90 (95% CI 4.62, 5.18) kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d between 1989 and 2014 and stayed stable between 4.63 (95% CI: 4.53, 4.72) and 4.89 (95% CI: 4.81, 4.96) kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d from 2016 onwards. In 1989, beef (19.89%, 95% CI: 19.18, 20.59), dairy (16.87%, 95% CI: 16.30, 17.42)), corn (9.61%, 95% CI: 9.00, 10.22), legumes (7.03%, 95% CI: 6.59, 7.46), and beverages (6.99%, 95% CI: 6.66, 7.32) had the highest relative contribution to food GHGE; by 2020, beef was the top contributor (17.68%, 95%CI: 17.46, 17.89) followed by fast food (14.17%, 95% CI: 13.90, 14.43), dairy (11.21%, 95%CI: 11.06, 11.36), beverages (10.09%, 95%CI: 9.94, 10.23), and chicken (10.04%, 95%CI: 9.90, 10.17). Households with higher education levels and those in more urbanized areas contributed more to dietary GHGE across the full period. However, households with lower education levels and those in rural areas had the highest increase in these emissions from 1989 to 2020.ConclusionsOur results provide insights into the food groups in which the 2023 Mexican Dietary Guidelines may require to focus on improving human and planetary health.

Sociocultural risks of resource extraction for the low-carbon energy transition: Evidence from the Global South

The ongoing global transition to low-carbon energy relies on access to energy transition minerals (ETMs), bringing to life new mining projects. This shift is particularly impacting the Global South, due to high levels of interaction of mineral deposits with territories of Indigenous peoples and peasants, weak governance and remoteness. Focusing on the sustainability and justice of energy transitions, previous research has identified a range of environmental and social impacts of ETM mining across Global South countries. We argue that current research overlooks impacts of energy transition-related mining on tangible and intangible cultural heritage of land-connected people. This paper seeks to address this gap by examining the intersection of ETM mining and sociocultural practices in the Global South from spatial, governance and justice perspectives. Based on an extensive literature review, this article critically addresses key themes in the literature on the social aspects of energy transitions and uses cases from Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Chile, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to demonstrate the immediate and long-term sociocultural impacts associated with ETM mining. It is important to foster an all-encompassing approach to planetary just energy transitions that places equal weight on ensuring cultural alongside environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Revisiting the role of climate change on crop production: evidence from Mediterranean countries

AbstractThe Mediterranean region is an important agricultural center and is expected to be most affected by climate change due to its location. In this study, the role of climate change on agriculture is examined for eight South European countries on the Mediterranean coast for the period of 1996–2016. Carbon dioxide emissions, temperature and precipitation values are used as the indicators of climate change while cereal production is taken as a proxy for agricultural production. Results of the panel vector autoregression approach reveal that an increase in the carbon dioxide emissions and temperature have a negative impact on the cereal production. However, this effect is statistically significant only in the initial periods. On the other hand, an increase in rainfall has a statistically significant positive effect on crop production only in one period. However, eventually this effect turns to negative as expected, since excessive rainfall has a negative effect on agriculture as much as drought. In conclusion, the importance of bringing the policies and strategies to the forefront in ensuring the sustainability of agriculture and minimizing the negative effects of climate change in the region are discussed.

Vaccine hesitancy and trust in sub-Saharan Africa

Lack of trust is a primary reason behind the global rise in vaccine hesitancy. Existing research on the trust—vaccine hesitancy nexus has almost exclusively focused on COVID-19 with the vast majority of studies examining industrialized countries. In this study, we investigated the influence of trust in different policy-relevant actors (government, science, media, pharmaceutical companies, society) on vaccine hesitancy for recently available vaccines related to polio and HPV which we benchmark against a COVID-19 vaccine. Leveraging unique primary data on 5203 individuals from six countries (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda), we showed that individuals’ trust in the government and society are key predictors of vaccine hesitancy. Furthermore, we demonstrated that these relationships are remarkably stable across vaccine, disease, and country contexts.

Drivers of success in global health outcomes: A content analysis of Exemplar studies.

Applying a positive outlier lens is one effective approach for generating evidence to inform global health policy, program, and funding decisions. Exemplars in Global Health (EGH) is a program that studies positive outlier countries that have made extraordinary progress in health outcomes (despite limited resources) and disseminates their successes through multiple types of outputs. To date, EGH has studied, or is studying, 14 global health topics in 28 countries. This paper aims to identify findings, summarized as themes and sub-themes, that appear among all completed EGH studies. We developed a conceptual framework and used a content analysis approach to identify the top thematic areas that appear as drivers for programmatic success across EGH studies that were completed between June 2020-May 2023. The EGH studies (N = 31) spanned six topics including under-five child mortality (n = 6), childhood stunting (n = 5), community health workers (CHW) (n = 4), vaccine delivery (n = 3), COVID-19 response (n = 6), and newborn and maternal mortality reduction (n = 7) across 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, South and Central Asia, and the Caribbean regions. Top drivers of success were defined as those critical or catalytic in achieving the intended outcome. Eight key drivers were identified: (1) efficient data collection and use for decision-making, (2) strong political commitment and health leadership, (3) effective stakeholder coordination, (4) a local, connected, and capacitated workforce, (5) intentional women's empowerment and engagement, (6) effective adoption and implementation of national policies, (7) effective and sustainable financing, and (8) equitable, efficient outreach and targeting. These cross-cutting drivers span a broad range of development outcomes, sectors, and populations, and indicate a need to effectively integrate people, systems, and sectors to improve global health outcomes. Findings from this study aim to support peer learning among countries and support evidence-based decision-making for funders, policymakers, and other key stakeholders.

Argentina and the Ukraine War: Between pragmatism and values

AbstractThis article examines Argentina's stance regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During the administration of President Alberto Fernández (2019–2023), Argentina condemned the invasion at the United Nations but maintained a relatively low diplomatic profile and criticised Western sanctions against Russia. However, since President Javier Milei took office in late 2023, Argentina has shifted its foreign policy orientation towards greater alignment with Western powers, leading to a more unequivocal support of Ukraine. As a significant development, President Zelensky responded by attending Milei's inauguration. The evolution of Argentina's position results from a combination of strategic calculation and principles across administrations of different ideological orientations, contradicting simplistic views of the international stance of Global South countries.

Economic challenges faced by migrant street vendors during a crisis: implications for social inclusion development

PurposeInformal migrant workers and street vendors have long been recognized as vulnerable groups in urban areas of Global South countries. However, limited studies exist on the economic challenges faced by migrant street vendors during crises. We aim to address this gap by shedding light on their livelihood and welfare losses during a public health crisis.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses descriptive and qualitative analyzes to triangulate the results. Data are derived from surveys and in-depth interviews with migrant street vendors in the two biggest cities in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe street vendors experienced significant business loss and consumption reduction during social distancing as well as encountered difficulties in recovering their businesses in the “new normal.” These adverse consequences were also found to disproportionately affect women vendors. Additionally, despite adopting various strategies and mitigation mechanisms to sustain their businesses and consumption, these efforts proved insufficient.Social implicationsThis research underscores the importance of short-term and long-term urban policies aimed at supporting and promoting the social inclusion of street vendors, particularly migrant and women vendors.Originality/valueThis research represents one of the early attempts to explore the adverse effects of a public health crisis on migrant street vendors and to examine whether the crisis disproportionately affected vendors from different genders and educational backgrounds. It also examines their business recovery in the “new normal.”

The “Finance‐Extraction‐Transitions Nexus”: Geographies of the Green Transition in the 21st Century

AbstractThe hegemonic understanding of the green transition will require a massive surge in mineral extraction. We contend that this entails wider, radical shifts in 21st century financialised capitalism. While there has been increasing critical interest in the role of finance capital in development, the links between finance, extraction, and the green transition have been largely overlooked. We fill this gap by arguing that the green transition, understood as a transformation of global capitalism, is marked by new rounds of appropriation, exploitation, and extraction, (re)producing dependencies for resource‐rich Global South countries. These emergent geographies of the green transition are best evaluated through what we call the “finance‐extraction‐transitions nexus”. The nexus highlights the interplay between finance capital, mineral extraction, and the material, socio‐economic, and environmental implications of the green transition. This provides new ways to theoretically, conceptually, and methodologically engage with resource extraction and the green transition in the age of financialised capitalism.

Alternative pathways for green hydrogen economy: the case of Colombia

ABSTRACT With the escalating urgency of addressing climate change and the surge of a pro-environmental discourse during the last three to four decades, the international imperative of low-carbon societies voiced in the Paris Agreement and reiterated in the parties’ conferences call for ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems’ has gained traction. However, it remains unclear to what extent this imperative addresses the entrenched extractivist and rentier practices that underpin today's carbon-intensive economy. This article turns the case of green hydrogen, often hailed as the fuel of the future, to discern whether current actions are enabling a ‘just transition’ towards the same mode of natural resource exploitation, or one that seeks to overcome the extractivist and rentier dynamics. Taking a case study of Colombia, where debates surrounding hydrogen development swirl around what could be seen as a continuity of extractivism and a more reindustrialization-oriented trajectory, this study examines some of the possible conditions that just transitions would have to comply with if they are to overcome both fossil fuel dependence and the politico-economic behaviours that have turned swathes of Global South countries into natural resource repositories.

Ethical and Legal Support for Technological Development in the Healthcare System

The article analyses the experience of a number of foreign countries (France, South Korea, China, Germany and Italy) in terms of developing special legislation in the field of ethical examination and creating specialised bodies to exercise relevant powers. Based on the analysis, the necessity of creating a National Council on Bioethics under the President of the Russian Federation in Russia in order to conduct an independent ethical assessment of new technologies in the field of healthcare is advocated. The author identifies the goal of strengthening the legal personality of medical workers in terms of an initial assessment of technological solutions built into practice. The work highlights the need to develop a procedural basis for conducting technological assessment by the medical community based on clearly established principles of legal and ethical expertise. It is emphasised that all technological solutions presented within the framework of strategic development should be aimed at health-saving ends. At the same time, it is advisable to consolidate the normatively established concept of health-saving technologies in order to carry out an examination of the quality of the implemented technological solutions.

Reshaping the Multilateral Aid Regime from the Global South? Alternative Perspectives on Humanitarianism, Development and Peacebuilding from Latin America and the Caribbean

ABSTRACT In the context of rising contestations to the Liberal International Order (LIO), it is crucial to highlight the contribution of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region to international institutions and global governance, particularly considering its peripheral position in the world order. The Triple Nexus Approach (TPA), adopted in 2016, promotes a coordinated effort in providing humanitarian assistance and aid for development by integrating them with peace endeavours. The LAC region has provided political and conceptual contributions to each TPA component, providing alternative perspectives on multilateral governance in humanitarian action, development and peacebuilding, emphasising the pursuit of collective and context-specific outcomes for crisis prevention. Focusing on the period from the early 21st century to 2019, a time when the Triple Nexus theoretical structuring publications emerged, it is highlighted how contestations to the LIO and the changing world order have impacted global governance norms, creating opportunities for emerging and peripheral countries to shape post-liberal rules. This allows Global South countries to set self-determined development objectives and make a meaningful contribution to global rule-making.

Internationalization of Higher Education and Emerging National Rationales: Comparative Analysis of the Global North and South

AbstractThis paper provides a comparative analysis of national rationales to higher education internationalization in the global north and south countries using content analysis. The results reveal that the socio-economic rationales are dominant across most of the 27 sampled countries. However, they manifest differently across the global north and global south as countries interpret the benefits and effects of internationalization in line with their national priorities. These variations are being shaped by an increasingly complex, competitive, and multipolar higher education internationalization landscape with new global south actors acquiring agency despite the deepening global inequalities. As a result, political rationales are becoming an important driver to internationalization. The current geopolitical environment associated with global conflicts, health pandemics, and increased nationalistic, anti-immigrant, and anti-globalization sentiments is also adding more uncertainty and complexity. Due to increased concerns about this multipolar and self-centred internationalization, a few countries are starting to promote inclusive approaches to internationalization.

Transmission of viable Haemophilus ducreyi by Musca domestica.

Haemophilus ducreyi was historically known as the causative agent of chancroid, a sexually-transmitted disease causing painful genital ulcers endemic in many low/middle-income nations. In recent years the species has been implicated as the causative agent of nongenital cutaneous ulcers affecting children of the South Pacific Islands and West African countries. Much is still unknown about the mechanism of H. ducreyi transmission in these areas, and recent studies have identified local insect species, namely flies, as potential transmission vectors. H. ducreyi DNA has been detected on the surface and in homogenates of fly species sampled from Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. The current study develops a model system using Musca domestica, the common house fly, as a model organism to demonstrate proof of concept that flies are a potential vector for the transmission of viable H. ducreyi. Utilizing a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged strain of H. ducreyi and three separate exposure methods, we detected the transmission of viable H. ducreyi by 86.11% ± 22.53% of flies sampled. Additionally, the duration of H. ducreyi viability was found to be directly related to the bacterial concentration, and transmission of H. ducreyi was largely undetectable within one hour of initial exposure. Push testing, Gram staining, and PCR were used to confirm the identity and presence of GFP colonies as H. ducreyi. This study confirms that flies are capable of mechanically transmitting viable H. ducreyi, illuminating the importance of investigating insects as vectors of cutaneous ulcerative diseases.

Global Issues in Local Contexts: Japanese University EFL Learners' Reactions to the Development of Relevant and Engaging SDGS Materials

With the growing importance of the United Nations’ SDGs, many EFL textbooks addressing the goals have been developed. However, these textbooks generally discuss the applicability of the SDGs in Global South countries, and for university students in Japan, this has resulted in “SDG burnout,” as they study the topic but often fail to find meaningful connections to the materials. This article builds on previous research into the efficacy of culturally familiar materials, and it takes SDG education in a new direction through the creation of materials in dialogue with social justice issues. Four lessons were created by the researchers, and as part of the post-reading assignment, learners had the autonomy to choose between culturally familiar or unfamiliar activities related to either the news or popular culture. A 6-point Likert scale was used to gauge student interest, which indicated that the inclusion of social justice issues may positively affect interest. A series of binomial tests revealed that learners preferred culturally familiar activities and activities related to the news. These findings provide important implications for teaching the SDGs as they suggest learners might be most receptive to culturally familiar materials that are based on the news and connected to issues of social justice.

How do economic growth, trade openness, and non-renewable and renewable energy affect environmental quality in VISTA Countries?

Purpose ─ This study examines the effects of economic growth, the use of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, and trade openness on carbon emissions in VISTA countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkiye, and Argentina)Method ─ In this work, empirical methods include the second-generation unit root and cointegration tests, as well as Panel AMG and Panel CCE estimators.Findings ─ The following are the key findings. First, the variables demonstrate a long-run relationship. Second, economic growth and the consumption of non-renewable energy sources contribute to an increase in carbon emissions over time, whereas the consumption of renewable energy sources lowers carbon emissions over time. Implication ─ To promote sustainable growth in VISTA countries, it is recommended to increase investments in renewable energy sources while enhanching public sector supports for the private sector.Originality ─ This is the first study to examine how economic growth, trade openness, and renewable and non-renewable energy sources affect carbon emissions in VISTA nations.

Impacts of mineral resources, economic growth and energy consumption on environmental sustainability: Novel findings from global south region

This study investigates the dynamic effect of mineral markets, economic growth, urbanization, financial development, non-green and green energy consumption on environmental sustainability. In this context, CS-ARDL, QLARDL, and Dumitrescu Hurlin Panel Causality approaches are used to estimate the panel data collected from seven Global South countries from 1992 to 2019. Results suggested that the mineral market, green energy and green financial development positively impact environmental sustainability at various quantile levels. On the contrary, urbanization and energy consumption have a negative impact on LCC, but these effects are statically insignificant in the short run, while green energy improves environmental quality in the long run. At the same time, financial development and economic growth have significant negative impacts on LCP, in the long run, reporting how the financial development in the world is not concerned about environmental issues. Moreover, the circular economy plays a crucial role in maintaining environmental sustainability by balancing mineral markets, economic growth, financial development, urbanization and energy consumption. Based on the empirical findings, several policy implications are suggested to selected global south countries to improve environmental sustainability through green energy transition and financial development without halting economic growth.

Understanding the spillover effects of ethanol production and energy prices on African food markets: A time-varying approach

Amidst recent global uncertainty caused by events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and wars, African countries are finding it even more challenging than before to achieve food security. This study utilizes the time-varying parameter vector autoregression (TVP-VAR)–based extended joint connectedness model to analyze the impact of external factors, such as U.S. ethanol production, grain speculation, international energy prices, international food prices, and international corn prices, on domestic food prices in four African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, and Tanzania). The key results of the study can be summarized as follows: (1) The production of ethanol in the United States has an influence on the food prices in all four sample countries, with the extent of this impact differing from one nation to another. Notably, the effects of ethanol production were particularly pronounced until the years 2011–2012. (2) In Ethiopia and Tanzania, the domestic food market shows only a slight impact from speculative activities, whereas in Ghana and South Africa, these activities have a notable effect. (3) International energy prices play a significant role in shaping the domestic food prices across all four countries.

Emerging market multinationals’ embeddedness in Global South countries: an empirical study of Chinese MNEs in Peru

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs) are integrating and expanding into other emerging market host countries, focusing on Chinese mining companies in Peru.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a qualitative approach, an in-depth analysis of two Chinese state-owned enterprises’ strategies was conducted, building on stakeholder theory and the business ecosystem perspective.FindingsThis study reveals a reliance on high-level political lobbying rather than localized engagement strategies. However, findings point to increasing grassroots resistance among local stakeholders, undermining EMNEs’ bargaining power.Originality/valueThis paper argues for a paradigm shift toward inclusive, cooperative “translocal governance” approaches as empowered communities gain voice. Key contributions include advancing theoretical understanding of changing stakeholder relationships and power configurations in emerging countries, underscoring the rising significance of microlevel sociocultural embeddedness for MNE success and highlighting practical imperatives for EMNEs to embark on rapid localization strategies in Latin America. By elucidating multilayered integration realities in Peru, this interdisciplinary study yields contextualized insights and enriches perspective on the conditions and pathways for EMNEs to build sustainability in Global South emerging market environments.