The Conversation's Stories

Climate change: Women’s role in the economy is key to a just transition

In many places, women are the primary caregivers for children, the sick or the elderly, as well as b...

Mauritius polls landslide: Why voters were determined to get Jugnauth’s govt out

The opposition coalition's win was a clear sweep. No candidates from the outgoing government were el...

Botswana’s election shock: Why voters kicked the ruling party out after 58 years

Masisi faced accusations of tribalism, favouring people from his southern region in government appoi...

What to expect from COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan

In recent years, a series of climate-fuelled disasters and extreme events, from Australia’s bushfire...

Climate change is hitting women the hardest. What to do about it – economists

Climate change policies must address women’s unique challenges. By focusing on improving women’s cap...

Salva Kiir: South Sudan’s president fought for independence, but then fuelled division, violence

Kiir and Machar signed a peace agreement in September 2018 between the government and numerous oppos...

Plastic-eating insect discovered in Kenya

The larvae of the Kenyan lesser mealworm can chew through polystyrene and host bacteria in their gut...

What’s needed to grow the Electric Vehicles sector in Africa

The comparatively simple designs of electric vehicles provide an opportunity for sub-Saharan Africa...

Stopping mpox: wild meat markets are a root cause and must be made safer

Moral incentives could stem from the pride in ensuring that bushmeat is handled and sold in a way th...

Botswana’s new president: Who is Duma Boko and what does he stand for?

Boko is a human rights lawyer who is considered a social democrat. He read law at the University of...

Zimbabwe’s public historian Pathisa Nyathi dies

Nyathi was a living library and archive of Zimbabwean history, cultural practices and African philos...

African countries shouldn’t have to borrow money to fix climate damage they never caused – economist

The effects of climate change are causing unprecedented floods, drought and other disasters across A...

Explainer: Why Pennsylvania’s election results will take time to count

Here are five things that are important to understand about the timing of the election outcome in Pe...

How AI can help develop climate-resistant crops for Africa

With advancements in biotechnology, we’re also able to modify and edit genes to fortify plants or en...

TB in Africa: global report shows successes, but Nigeria and DRC remain important hotspots

When it comes to TB infections the WHO African and European regions have made the most progress: a r...

IMF isn’t doing enough to support Africa: billions could be made available through special drawing rights

IMF members can vote to create new issuances of special drawing rights.

Mozambique’s 2024 elections: Nine major challenges that will face the next president

Mozambique stands at a critical point. The new president must confront the deep-rooted challenges wi...

Kenya’s female freedom fighters: The silent heroes of anti-colonial movement

Women and children in the villages knew they were under constant watch from the colonial state and i...

Kenya’s presidents have a long history of falling out with their deputies – Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment would be no surprise

Historically, presidents have fired their deputies. But the adoption of a new constitution in 2010,...

Post-flood recovery: Lessons from Germany, Nigeria on how to help people cope with loss

How transition to new healthcare scheme can be made less painful for Kenyans

Kenya’s new approach brings challenges that demand strategic management, adequate funding and close...

Smokers have a higher level of harmful bacteria in the mouth – new study

The mouth (oral cavity) is the first port of entry to the rest of the body and is home to a complex...

A year of escalating conflict in Middle East has ushered in new era of regional displacement

Members of the "Gran Grif" gang wielded assault rifles and massacred dozens of people near Haiti's c...

Lasting peace in Ethiopia? More needs to be done to stop Tigray conflict from flaring up again

A substantial reason for the lack of progress in building sustainable peace is that the Cessation of...

The hurdles African countries face in getting permanent seats at UN Security Council

Those with permanent seats and veto power (Russia and China, the US, the UK and France) are reluctan...

Easing Africa’s debt burdens: a fresh approach, based on an old idea

Developing countries have been paying bondholders a premium to compensate them for providing financi...

South Africa has a good childhood vaccination system – what’s stopping it from being great

Childhood vaccines are most effective when they are administered to children at the right age, and w...

War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC

The differences between how boys and girls are affected are important considerations in building app...

How new law could protect Kenya's whistleblowers

Whistleblowers have previously been targeted by public organisations for releasing information in an...

Lesotho needs constitutional reforms to help gain political stability – but the latest attempt is flawed

Previous governments were warned against a government-led approach to reforms as it alienates other...

Africans who apply for Schengen visas face high rejection rates – migration scholar explains why

Of the top 10 countries with high Schengen visa rejection rates in 2022, seven were from Africa. Amo...

Violence at the Kenya-Ethiopia border: What’s driving insecurity in the region

The government’s efforts to disarm pastoralists are often futile because of the porous border.

Ethiopia's demolitions giving rise to a new Addis Ababa at the expense of city’s residents

PM Abiy Ahmed is prioritising grand projects designed to attract foreign direct investment to Ethiop...

Looting of African Heritage: Powerful new book explores damage done by colonial theft

Looting art in times of wars was not new. What made European colonial looting distinctive, though, w...

Kenyan artists reflect Gen Z hopes and frustrations in new exhibition

While creating space for self-reflection, it also gives voice to voiceless communities and concerns...

Mpox could spread into conflict zones in East Africa – how to manage the response

The outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the Africa Centres f...

China reaps most of the benefits of its relationship with Africa: What’s behind the imbalance?

Africa needs a concerted approach towards China and all of its so-called strategic partnerships. The...

Sudan is the world’s worst modern war – what has happened and what it’ll take to rebuild

There doesn’t appear to be an end to the conflict any time soon. Various efforts to hold peace talks...

Polio in Gaza: what does this mean for the region and the world?

No cases of paralytic polio have been reported in Gaza. But detecting the virus in wastewater is con...

Mpox in the DRC: children are at high risk – health expert explains why

In addition, children in any outbreak setting are already vulnerable given their immature and still-...

Kenya champions the free movement of people in east Africa, but it’s failing immigrants and refugees at home

Local governments recognise the significance of migrants’ contributions. In an era of fiscal constra...

Maize prices in Kenya and Malawi have soared, but Tanzania’s haven’t: economists explain why

Kenya’s maize production between 2020 and 2022 averaged almost 3.4 million tonnes per year. To meet...

Mpox: African countries have beaten disease outbreaks before – here’s what it takes

Since July 2024, cases of Clade Ib, linked (in the way it emerged and spread) to the outbreak in the...

South Sudan’s long-delayed election will be a landmark moment − but economic decline and political strife put vote at risk

The proposed vote follows years of delays: An election was due to take place in 2015 but was postpon...

How debt and taxes conspired to rob Nairobi’s slum-dwelling youth of the promise of a better life

Walking back the tax bill hasn’t solved Kenya’s problems, and on Aug. 19, Kenya’s new finance minist...

Africa on the UN security council: why the continent should have two permanent seats

Africa’s experience of the UN system over the past 80 years has been one of misrepresentation and un...

Mpox outbreak in Africa was neglected – it could now turn into the next global pandemic

The WHO has now declared the current upsurge of mpox in central Africa a public health emergency of...

The Geneva Conventions at 75: Do the laws of war still have a fighting chance in today’s world?

Raising revenue from land: What African cities might learn from Hong Kong’s unique land-lease system

Hong Kong is a prime example of effective land value management. It is often cited as a case study.

Kenyan protesters are demanding President Ruto be removed – what the law says about how that could happen

The process can be lengthy and complicated. However, as Kenya is a democracy, those who believe that...