FEBRUARY 2022 Ethiopia is at the centre of an increasingly volatile political transition that started in 2018 with the election of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)-led coalition government. The beginnings of this political transition marked great hope for the country and the region. This report provides a brief historical context, or lead-up, to the conflict,Read More
JANUARY 2022 This report will, in two installments, follow the story of coal in South Africa, tracing the history of the country through its industrial dependence on fossil fuel up to the present day. It will assess the condition of the coal-mining sector, the various methods of extraction and production, and the commercial entities behind such processes. Continue to Newsletter…Read More
NOVEMBER 2021 Environmental, Social, and Governance criteria, nowadays commonly referred to as ESGs, are based on the concept of “conscious or responsible” investment which was first introduced during the 1960s. ESG grew out of investment philosophies that focused on areas such as sustainability and, thereafter, socially responsible investing. Continue to Newsletter…Read More
OCTOBER 2021 Somalia is a state in political and humanitarian limbo, both domestically and regionally. The country has been facing a series of humanitarian disasters, which alongside the clashes between political rival factions, has created mass instability, and carved room for the influence of the Islamist insurgency group, Al-Shabab. Continue to Newsletter…Read More
SEPTEMBER 2021 The Cape to Cairo Railway was a project first conceived and initiated in the late 19th century, which, despite the vast stretches of the railroad that were constructed across Africa under Western colonial rule, was, ultimately, left incomplete. Continue to full report…Read More
AUGUST 2021 The EU is the single largest donor to Africa. Over 20 billion euros is spent each year in development aid. Many EU member states have had long and difficult histories with various areas of the continent. However, these days, the relationships are more based on peacekeeping, trade and aid. Continue to full report…Read More
How has a British-Iranian Woman Become a Political Bargaining Chip in Anglo-Iranian Relations? In April 2016, the British-Iranian, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, was detained at an Iranian airport whilst travelling back to the UK with her young daughter. The Iranian government stated the reason for her detainment was that she was leading a “foreign-linked hostile network” during her visit. Continue to full report…Read More
Our June report focuses on The Benguela Railway. The Benguela Railway extends from Angola’s Port Lobito in Southern Africa into the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it connects to the Cape to Cairo Railway. It is the shortest and most efficient way to export commodities from this area out of the continent, primarily serving the mines in the DRC and Zambia. Continue to full report…Read More
Our May report focuses on Senegal. This report provides a summary of the current political, and economic outlooks for commerce in Senegal, the efforts of Senegal to actively implement gender equality laws and reviews the impact COVID-19 in the last year. Continue to full report…Read More
Our April report focuses on Lebanon and the impact of a political and economic implosion. In late 2019, the Lebanese government announced plans to tax WhatsApp calls, sparking mass protests against the economic turmoil and political corruption. These protests led to the then-government’s resignation. Half a year later, these protests ground to a halt. This wasn’t caused by political, economic and social change, but bRead More