Specific African Countries Research Articles

Regulatory frameworks and financial stability in Africa: A comparative review of banking and insurance sectors

This review explores the role of regulatory frameworks in ensuring financial stability in Africa, focusing on a comparative analysis of the banking and insurance sectors. Regulatory frameworks are essential for maintaining the integrity, stability, and efficiency of financial systems. By examining the historical context, development, and current state of both sectors, this review identifies the key regulatory bodies and their respective strategies and objectives. The review highlights the effectiveness of these regulatory frameworks in mitigating risks and enhancing financial stability through case studies of specific African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. In the banking sector, central banks and financial regulatory authorities enforce regulations aimed at maintaining capital adequacy, managing non-performing loans, and ensuring risk management and compliance. In contrast, the insurance sector's regulatory bodies focus on solvency requirements, risk assessment, and consumer protection. Also underscores the importance of coordination between regulatory bodies to address challenges such as regulatory arbitrage and technological advancements. The comparative review reveals that while both sectors have made significant strides in regulatory development, they face unique challenges and opportunities. The banking sector is grappling with issues of financial inclusion and digital transformation, whereas the insurance sector is striving to improve market penetration and literacy. The review also discusses the impact of regulatory interventions on financial stability, showcasing successful examples from selected countries. The findings suggest that robust regulatory frameworks are critical for fostering sustainable financial stability. Recommendations for enhancing regulatory effectiveness include strengthening coordination among regulatory bodies, enhancing capacity-building, and leveraging technology for better compliance. The review concludes with an outlook on emerging trends in financial regulation and the prospects for maintaining financial stability in Africa, emphasizing the need for continued international cooperation and support. Keywords: Regulatory Frameworks, Financial Stability, Africa, Banking sectors, Review.

China’s State-Business Relationship with Nigeria: Neocolonialism or Strategic Cooperation

By comparing the colonial era under the British colonization and Chinese presence in Nigeria, this study challenges the so-called “neo-colonialism” regarding Chinese activities in Nigeria and argues that China and Nigeria have a strategic cooperation which pursues each political and economic benefits through analyzing China’s state-business relationship with Nigeria. Regarding studying China–Africa relationship, this study emphasizes to focus on specific African countries’ domestic history, social development, and political and economic institutions. The paper contributes to the existing literature by involving the study on Nigeria’s domestic political situations and social institutions and how these link with Chinese engagement in Nigeria.

The Dynamics of European Union Foreign Electoral Assistance: Case of Kenya’s General Elections

Electoral integrity is widely recognized as an indispensable element of democratic consolidation in the developing world. However, achieving electoral integrity in these countries has been hindered, in part, by their deficient capacity to invest in the essential resources required to enable key sectors to fulfill their roles in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections. Additionally, elections in these regions often report malpractice characteristics such as electoral fraud, contested results, and protracted legal disputes over outcomes. Consequently, external actors have been called upon to help bridge these gaps, foster peaceful political transitions, and bolster the process of democratization. Despite substantial support from foreign actors, there is a paucity of research focusing on the dynamics of their involvement through technical and capacity-building initiatives. Existing research often presents passive assertions about specific African countries, leaving a dearth of empirical evidence regarding the extent and manner of external actors’ engagement in these nations. Consequently, fundamental questions concerning when, how, and to what effect external actors intervene in foreign electoral support efforts remain unanswered. This study investigates the European Union’s contribution in supporting democratization in Kenya through technical and capacity-building assistance. Employing a case study approach and interpretive descriptive designs, the research delves into the intricacies of EU electoral support in Kenya. By conducting purposive Key Informant Interviews with representatives from key stakeholder institutions and administering surveys to 384 respondents, this study discerns that foreign technical and capacity-building assistance primarily occurs during elections, despite EU policy documents emphasizing that elections are a process rather than a one-time event. The findings reveal that capacity building and technical support, while closely intertwined, are analytically distinct components of EU support, both delivered through the basket fund mechanism. This support is targeted at both governmental institutions involved in elections and non-governmental stakeholders. Crucially, the study establishes that the extent to which the EU’s support can contribute to free, fair, and credible elections hinges on the degree of “political hygiene” practiced by the political class and political parties. In essence, the effectiveness of EU support is profoundly influenced by the conduct of domestic political actors, highlighting the intricate interplay between foreign assistance and internal political dynamics. The theoretical framework is guided by Professor Michal Doyle’s Liberal Democratic Peace Theory.

The Cardiometabolic Health of African Immigrants in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

In recent decades, the number of African immigrants in high-income countries (HICs) has increased significantly. However, the cardiometabolic health of this population remains poorly examined. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to examine the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors among sub-Saharan African immigrants residing in HICs. Studies were identified through searches in electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science up to July 2021. Data on the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors were extracted and synthesized in a narrative format, and a meta-analysis of pooled proportions was also conducted. Of 8655 unique records, 35 articles that reported data on the specific African countries of origin of African immigrants were included in the review. We observed heterogeneity in the burden of cardiometabolic risk factors by African country of origin and HIC. The most prevalent risk factors were hypertension (27%, range: 6–55%), overweight/obesity (59%, range: 13–91%), and dyslipidemia (29%, range: 11–77.2%). The pooled prevalence of diabetes was 11% (range: 5–17%), and 7% (range: 0.7–14.8%) for smoking. Few studies examined kidney disease, hyperlipidemia, and diagnosed cardiometabolic disease. Policy changes and effective interventions are needed to improve the cardiometabolic health of African immigrants, improve care access and utilization, and advance health equity.

Are we there yet? A systematic literature review of Open Educational Resources in Africa: A combined content and bibliometric analysis.

Although several studies have been conducted to summarize the progress of open educational resources (OER) in specific regions, only a limited number of studies summarize OER in Africa. Therefore, this paper presents a systematic literature review to explore trends, themes, and patterns in this emerging area of study, using content and bibliometric analysis. Findings indicated three major strands of OER research in Africa: (1) OER adoption is only limited to specific African countries, calling for more research and collaboration between African countries in this field to ensure educational equity; (2) most of the OER initiatives in Africa have focused on the creation process and neglected other important perspectives, such as dissemination and open educational practices (OEP) using OER; and (3) on top of the typical challenges for OER adoption (e.g., infrastructure), other personal challenges were identified within the African context, including culture, language, and personality. The findings of this study suggest that more initiatives and cross-collaborations with African and non-African countries in the field of OER are needed to facilitate OER adoption in the region. Additionally, it is suggested that researchers and practitioners should consider individual differences, such as language, personality and culture, when promoting and designing OER for different African countries. Finally, the findings can promote social justice by providing insights and future research paths that different stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, educators, practitioners, etc.) should focus on to promote OER in Africa.

The ‘dark side’ of African digital diplomacy: The response of Cameroon and Nigeria to separatists’ online propaganda

ABSTRACT Africa-based separatist groups have long deployed propaganda to woo the international community, seeking external support for their respective causes. In the digital age, they increasingly spread this propaganda over social media. Characterised by misinformation and disinformation, this propaganda has, in some cases, proven disruptive to the public diplomacy and nation building efforts of specific African countries. The propaganda has often triggered muscular – but not always efficacious – state responses. Using primary and secondary sources, this article investigates the online disinformation/misinformation campaigns of two separatist groups, namely the Ambazonia Defence Forces (of Cameroon) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (of Nigeria). Specifically, the article critically examines how the above mentioned separatist groups’ use of online propaganda is a challenge to the official diplomacy of Cameroon and Nigeria, and explores the extent to which the online responses of these governments to this phenomenon have been effective.

Improvement of the Pre-Analytical Phase of Nasopharyngeal Samples During the COVID 19 Pandemic: Experience of the Institute Pasteur De Côte d’Ivoire in 2020

The clinical laboratory is playing an increasingly important role in the patient-centered approach to the delivery of health services. Early detection of the importation of COVID-19 is a crucial challenge for all countries at risk of importation from areas of active transmission. This article aims to share the experience of the IPCI in the optimum management of the pre-analytical phase related to diagnostic tests for COVID 19. From the start of the pandemic the state and the IPCI made several organizational decisions to respond effectively to all trends of the COVID 19 epidemic in our country. Outsourcing of pre-analysis with creation of several sections: preparation of tube kits, aliquoting of samples from patients suspected of COVID19, reception, sorting and decontamination. Exemplary use of administrative and laboratory support staff. Our findings should help establish urgent priorities for intensified preparedness and response support in specific African countries with moderate or high risk of COVID-19 importation and whose capacity to manage the health emergency is low relatively low.

Africa's preparedness towards COVID-19 vaccines: Demand and acceptability challenges.

To date, the response to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in many African countries has been quick, forward-looking and adjustable in spite of the continent's limited resources. These responses were triggered by the continuous increase in cases and deaths, which have necessitated speedy development of an effective vaccine. It is anticipated that African governments and public health officials will show more transparency, and provide evidence-based strategies to support COVID-19 vaccines and design equitable as well as effective vaccine delivery plans for the populace. To this end, this review analysed Africa's preparedness and response towards COVID-19 vaccines, potential demand, acceptability and distribution challenges related to the management of the virus. The review takes stock of context-specific vaccine preparedness; the demand for vaccine and associated challenges; as well as vaccine accessibility and its distribution. The review offers insightful approaches and strategies by which African countries can maximize benefits from the COVID-19 vaccines to overcome the virus. These include the pursuance of vaccines that may help confer immunity or protection against the virus in the light of contextual circumstances of specific African countries, including sociocultural and economic issues among other factors.

Afro-Pessimist or Africa Rising? US Newspaper Coverage of Africa, 1994–2018

ABSTRACT Is media coverage of Africa systematically negative or increasingly positive? Several scholars have argued that too little empirical evidence exists to address the debate between “Afro-pessimist” and “Africa Rising” perspectives. We contribute to this discussion by analyzing 139,012 articles drawn from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today over the 25-year period between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 2018. We find modest support for the Afro-pessimist viewpoint: Articles mentioning Africa are negative on average, are even more negative during peak periods of coverage, and have not become more positive over time. In addition, we examine the thematic coverage most strongly associated with negativity and positivity. Stories that reference conflict, government, and specific African countries account for a significant portion of the negativity in our corpus. Conversely, stories related to culture and education constitute a subset of positive articles. Overall, our analysis not only sheds light on an ongoing debate about the tone of coverage of Africa, it also provides a better understanding of prevalent negative and positive thematic coverage in four major US newspapers.

African-ingredient branding as a marketing strategy: Examining the evaluations of export-market consumers

Previous research demonstrated that the marketing strategy of ingredient branding can enhance brand value, whilst enlarging outcomes for the value chain. Although, African-ingredient branding—using commodities produced/grown in Africa as a product attribute—has been considered theoretically, it has never been explored experimentally. It is therefore unclear whether this particular marketing strategy could increase brand equity. By conducting two experimental studies, this research work explores whether African-ingredient branding can enhance the evaluation of food items by export-market consumers and examines whether the strength of host brands and/or attitudes towards specific African countries of origin might also influence consumer evaluation processes with regard to African-ingredient branded products. The results reveal that African-ingredient branding is a valuable marketing strategy, which can have a positive influence on the evaluation of food items by export-market consumers. They further illustrate that evaluations of these products are only affected by the strength of the host brand, suggesting that the strategy is more effective for strong brands than for weak brands. Consumer attitudes towards specific African countries are apparently not decisive for their evaluations of hedonic products branded according to African ingredients. The research work provides primary experimental evidence of the positive effects of African-ingredient branding as a valuable marketing strategy, indicating theoretical and practical-normative implications, as well as suggestions for future research. Key words: Marketing, ingredient branding, African-ingredient branding, export-market consumer.

To the Issue of the Historical and Contemporary Size of the Chinese Diaspora in Africa and the Methodology of its Quantitative Research

For the first time in the domestic scientific literature, the article provides a detailed quantitative assessment of the Chinese diasporas of 58 African countries, non-sovereign territories and jurisdictions. The article analyzes the methodology of their quantitative assessments and provides a critical comparison of various types of sources of information on the Chinese diasporal communities on the continent. The novelty of the work is that the author does not consider the subject of research “from the Chinese perspective”, which is characteristic of most academic papers on the subject of “huaqiao,” but from the view-point of Africa. The host-country perspective premises the analysis of influences upon its rather than China’s development and requires the understanding not only of in the issues relation to the diaspora per se, but also For the first time in domestic African and Sinological studies, the objective was to bring together, critically process and analyze the available statistics on the Chinese diaspora on the continent. The results of the research published in the article finally allow us to solve the problem of determining the quantitative and spatial parameters of the diasporal Chinese communities on the continent. The solution to this problem opens up the possibility of obtaining scientific knowledge of the social, political, civilizational, economic and other characteristics of the Chinese diasporas in interaction with the surrounding society and in the context of socio-economic processes taking place in specific African countries on an objective, rather than speculative, basis.

Human capital, knowledge creation, knowledge diffusion, institutions and economic incentives: South Korea versus Africa

ABSTRACTThis article compares African countries to South Korea in terms of knowledge economy (KE). Emphasis is laid on human capital, knowledge creation, knowledge diffusion, institutions and economic incentives. The analytical approach consists of providing KE catch-up strategies that can be understood within the context of country-specific gaps between the frontier country in KE and laggard African countries. The empirical evidence is based on sigma convergence with data for the period 1996–2010. Overall, a KE diagnosis is provided by assessing KE gaps (between South Korea and specific-African countries) and suggesting compelling catch-up strategies with which to reduce identified gaps. Contemporary and non-contemporary policies from South Korea and more contemporary policies based on challenges of globalisation are discussed. The policy relevance of this inquiry aligns with the scholarly perspective that catch-up between South Korea and more advanced economies was accelerated by the former adapting to and assimilating relatively obsolete technological know-how from more developed nations.

Human Capital, Knowledge Creation, Knowledge Diffusion, Institutions and Economic Incentives: South Korea Versus Africa

This article compares African countries to South Korea in terms of knowledge economy (KE). Emphasis is laid on human capital, knowledge creation, knowledge diffusion, institutions and economic incentives. The analytical approach consists of providing knowledge economy catch-up strategies that can be understood within the context of country-specific gaps between the frontier country in KE and laggard African countries. The empirical evidence is based on sigma convergence with data for the period 1996-2010. Overall, a KE diagnosis is provided by assessing KE gaps (between South Korea and specific-African countries) and suggesting compelling catch-up strategies with which to reduce identified gaps. Contemporary and non-contemporary policies from South Korea and more contemporary policies based on challenges of globalisation are discussed. The policy relevance of this inquiry aligns with the scholarly perspective that catch-up between South Korea and more advanced economies was accelerated by the former adapting to and assimilating relatively obsolete technological know-how from more developed nations.

Index to Volume 64

Index to Volume 64 Justine Carson Correction: Due to a digital process error (wherein a penultimate version was printed), a revised edition of Library Trends 64(4) was necessary. When quoting from this issue, the Project MUSE digital version should be considered the authoritative and archival edition, and any citations should refer to this version. We sincerely regret this error. Page references in bold text indicate major treatments of a topic. Italic t, f, or n indicates tables, figures, or notes. A Abbott, A., 163, 171t–173t Aboriginal peoples, 380n Academic freedom China, 566–567 University of Illinois, 520 Academic librarians. See also Librarians affective labor, 645–666 emotional and affective labors, 659–662 Academic libraries. See also Libraries African, 117–118 antiracist social justice, 246–284 hiring and recruiting, 264–266 racism in library spaces, 255–261 racism in reference services, 269–276 resisting racial paradigms, 276–278 Spanish, 313–314, 313t, 314t staff racial diversity, 261–269 Access, 463 disability justice, 468–491 framework of collective access, 481–487 intersectional approach, 484 physical, 486–487 ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries), 264–269 ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries). Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, 547, 550 ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) Standards of Information Literacy, 459 ACT UP Los Angeles Records, 763–764 Activist digital archives, 360–383. See also Archives and archiving ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), 471 Adam, Amina, 136–160 Adaptive preferences, 209–210 Administrative progressivism, 541, 552–553 Adorno, Theodor, 585, 596, 599 Advocacy compared to marketing and public relations, 616–617 as diversity lever, 434 focus of activities, 628–630 intended audience, 626–628 intended purpose, 632–633 methods, 630–632 as professional activity, 624–626 service and professional identity, 615–640 training for, 616–617 Affect definition, 758 of hatred, 757–758 [End Page 795] Affect theory, 758 Affective labor. See also Labor academic librarians, 645–666 feminist critiques, 645–666 in universities, 657–659 Affirmative action academic libraries, 264–266 goal-oriented, 265 AFL-CIO. Department for Professional Employees, 605 Africa. See also Entries beginning with African; Specific African countries benefits of open scholarship, 136–160 growth of institutional repositories, 152–153 African academic libraries, 117–118. See also Academic libraries African Conference on Information Ethics, Pretoria, 2007, 55 African Health OER Network, 156 African information society. See also African society information ethics, 53–71 integration of ethical aspects, 58–67 African librarianship, 1–2. See also Librarianship career development, 42–52 colonial era, 3–4, 5, 6–7, 16 evolving roles, 115–118 history, 127 history and 21st century imperatives, 3–18 key drivers of change, 122 new imperatives, 125–135 policy transfer lessons, 94–106 transformation v. traditional services, 131–133 African libraries and information services. See also Libraries ICT advances, 118–121 innovation and policy transfer, 84–111 model libraries, 13–14 policy transfer lessons, 94–106 role in African society, 112–124 role in economic development, 112–114, 128–129 South African, 94, 103–104 African LIS education, 161–177. See also LIS education blurring of disciplinary lines, 169–170 contribution to achieving MDGs, 167 role of ICTs, 132–133 South Africa, 169–170 technological impact, 165–169 African National Congress, 103–104 African national libraries, 72–83 Botswana, 75–76, 81 history, 73–77 Kenya, 79–80, 81, 82 Namibia, 80, 82, 119–120 partnerships, 79–80 21st century, 77–82 Tanzania, 119–120 Uganda, 80, 81 African Network on Information Ethics (ANIE), 55 African public libraries. See also Public libraries and services evolving role, 116–117 perceived as elitist, 128–129 African rural communities children’s library services, 13 library services, 12–14, 75–76 African school libraries, 19–41, 79. See also School libraries African society. See also African information society African libraries and information services, 112–124 defining factors, 113–114 African universities, open access, 147–150. See also Universities Against the grain, 778 Agents of diffusion, 98–99 Ahmed, Sara, 476–477, 760–761 ALA commendation of Ferguson Public Library, 586, 588 commitment to diversity, 400–401 diversity programs, 777 origins of, 608–609 ALA. Committee on Accreditation (COA), 612 ALA. Committee on Library Training, 610...

Widening participation would be key in enhancing bioinformatics and genomics research in Africa

Bioinformatics and genome science (BGS) are gradually gaining roots in Africa, contributing to studies that are leading to improved understanding of health, disease, agriculture and food security. While a few African countries have established foundations for research and training in these areas, BGS appear to be limited to only a few institutions in specific African countries. However, improving the disciplines in Africa will require pragmatic efforts to expand training and research partnerships to scientists in yet-unreached institutions. Here, we discuss the need to expand BGS programmes in Africa, and propose mechanisms to do so.

Studies on African Families: In Hindsight

The family both in Africa generally and in specific African countries remains underresearched. What is evident from this review of studies published in the Journal of Comparative Family Studies for the selected period is that it is a rich resource for topics and themes that affect varied aspects of the family—some of which have not been previously closely considered. Immense possibilities for research in a number branches of science are open in Africa. The institution of the family in Africa is no exception. The review presented here provides an insight into how the family on the continent functions in divergent forms. It highlights how the family has been transforming under the influence of certain key variables, and the contradictions that exist among different ethnic groups on the continent. Additionally, the studies offer opportunities for scholars around the world to (re)examine some of the pertinent issues that would contribute to both theoretical and empirical knowledge about the family.

Introduction: multilingualism and education: the critical nexus

AbstractNo abstract

Examining the practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Sub-Saharan Africa

In this study, we will examine the way in which CSR is conceptualised by various scholars along with the realities of its implementation on the ground in specific African countries. The key objectives of this paper are therefore; to extend the discussion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by providing insight into the effect that the level of economic development may have on CSR and the impact this may have on the practice of CSR amongst leading companies in Sub-Saharan Africa. The paper will focus on discovering the similarities and differences in policies, procedures and practices in the region as a whole. In order to help shed some light on these issues, this article explores how leading companies report on CSR in five Sub-Saharan countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, and South Africa). Our analysis of company information reveals that opportunities are widely appreciated and that most companies report on their economic and social impacts. However, CSR reporting is fairly generic, and the specific context seems to bear only a limited influence on the type of CSR activities undertaken

Tracing health system challenges in post-conflict Côte d'Ivoire from 1893 to 2013

While scholarship on health in conflict-affected countries is growing, there has been relatively little analysis of how armed conflict affects health systems in specific African countries, especially former French colonies. There is even less literature on the role of history in shaping health systems and how historical factors such as inequity may influence health impacts of armed conflict. Based on Côte d'Ivoire, this article argues that historical multidisciplinary analysis can provide valuable insight into the macro-level political, economic and social determinants of the health system over time. It explores how armed conflict has affected health services and exacerbates historically inherited challenges to the health system including unequal distribution of health services, bias towards curative care in urban areas, inadequate human resources and weak health governance. In the post-conflict period, this understanding may assist governments and other stakeholders to develop more appropriate health policies that address both urgent and long-term health needs.

Black Marxism: an incorporated analytical framework for rethinking Chinese labour in South African historiography

In recent years, the perceived threat of China has been uncritically conflated with the activities of various Chinese actors, including laborers and migrants, in the African continent. Characterizations of Chinese people resonate with that of the late 1800s and early 1900s and continue to displace them from the history of specific African countries. This is especially true in South Africa, where there is little memory of how indentured Chinese laborers were imported to help revitalize the gold mines after the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). In the paper, I offer an analysis of two dominant strands of historical writings about South Africa, aiming to show how the ways in which history were conceived at particular political junctures was largely responsible for the absence of the Chinese laborers. Importantly, I discuss how Robinson's challenges to Marxism and its theory of history in Black Marxism provide a space to unthink notions of capital, labor, and race. In the paper, I further explore how the dialectical, multi-temporal, and multi-spatial view of history that he puts forth already envisioned the presence of and included theses laborers who were brought into the European capitalist world-economy on a large scale by the latter half of the nineteenth century.