Latest Opinions
West Africa’s trade monitoring system has collapsed - why this is dangerous for food security
14th October 2025 A decade ago countries in West Africa set up a unique trade monitoring mechanism. Its purpose was to track intra-regional trade in agricultural... →
Water wars: has GERD reset Africa’s hydropolitics?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 14th October 2025 Water scarcity in Africa is a crisis, and the GERD conflict shows why mutually beneficial cooperation agreements are vital. Ethiopia officially... →
Is Cape Town South Africa's second most dangerous city? Here's what the numbers show
By: Africa Check 14th October 2025 Gang-related violence in Cape Town often makes local and international headlines. In September 2025, when six people were killed in just two days,... →
Rural women farmers in South Africa: how global promises aren’t translating into support on the ground
13th October 2025 It is well documented that women small-scale farmers are hard done by in an environment where they farm without security of tenure, which inhibits... →
How disaster-ready are African countries? Study of 5 shows some progress, but also huge gaps
13th October 2025 When we hear the word “disaster” we often think of floods, droughts or earthquakes – events caused by nature. But what really turns these events... →
China and the US are in a race for critical minerals. African countries need to make the rules
13th October 2025 Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earth elements, and platinum group metals are essential for modern technologies.... →
Can Cameroon secure access to the ballot for those in conflict zones?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 13th October 2025 Voting on 12 October may be difficult for people in conflict-affected regions, who comprise a large portion of the country's electorate. At 92,... →
Gauteng’s ‘Coloured’ community feels unsafe: who they are and why they’re discouraged
10th October 2025 The “Coloured” community in Gauteng, South Africa’s economic heartland, continues to face barriers to full economic and social inclusion. Despite... →
Can Africa shift from victim to player at COP30?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 10th October 2025 Shaping global climate diplomacy requires strategic thinking and a new script during the upcoming COP30 negotiations. Last month’s second Africa... →
Debt and theft
By: Terence Creamer 10th October 2025 The twin crises of surging municipal arrear debt owing to Eskom and rising electricity theft have been lurking for years, and with all efforts to... →
