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In the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA), dry eye disease (DED) is often misdiagnosed or overlooked. This review summarizes a series of conversations with ophthalmologists in the region around a variety of climatic, lifestyle, and iatrogenic factors that contribute to specific features of DED in the MENA region. These considerations are further classified by patient lifestyle and surgical choices. All statements are based on discussions and formal voting to achieve consensus over three meetings. Overall, a deeper understanding of the disease characteristics of DED specific to MENA can better guide local eyecare practitioners on appropriate management and follow-up care. Additionally, population-based studies and patient and physician education on ocular surface diseases, together with the use of culturally appropriate and language-specific questionnaires can help ease the public health burden of DED in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cesarean delivery rates are rapidly increasing in Southeastern Europe (to more than 60%), North Africa (with a rate as high as 72% in Egypt), and in urban areas in Southern Africa (a rate of over 50% in Lagos, Nigeria). Data on the background to these increases are scarce, but likely to include poor birthing facilities in general hospitals, convenience for the doctor, private medicine, fear of litigation, socioeconomic status, shortage of midwives and nurses, and disappearance of vaginal instrumental deliveries. Options to reverse cesarean delivery trends are discussed. In this context there is a need to be better informed about how women are being counseled regarding vaginal or cesarean delivery. The long-term consequences in subsequent pregnancies for mothers and children may well be largely ignored, while these risks are highest in LMICs where higher birth numbers are desired. FIGO has begun discussions with obstetric and gynecologic societies, healthcare bodies, and governments in several countries discussed in this article, to find ways to lower the cesarean delivery rate. The requests came from the countries themselves, which may prove beneficial in helping advance progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cesarean delivery rates are rapidly increasing in Southeastern Europe (to more than 60%), North Africa (with a rate as high as 72% in Egypt), and in urban areas in Southern Africa (a rate of over 50% in Lagos, Nigeria). Data on the background to these increases are scarce, but likely to include poor birthing facilities in general hospitals, convenience for the doctor, private medicine, fear of litigation, socioeconomic status, shortage of midwives and nurses, and disappearance of vaginal instrumental deliveries. Options to reverse cesarean delivery trends are discussed. In this context there is a need to be better informed about how women are being counseled regarding vaginal or cesarean delivery. The long‐term consequences in subsequent pregnancies for mothers and children may well be largely ignored, while these risks are highest in LMICs where higher birth numbers are desired. FIGO has begun discussions with obstetric and gynecologic societies, healthcare bodies, and governments in several countries discussed in this article, to find ways to lower the cesarean delivery rate. The requests came from the countries themselves, which may prove beneficial in helping advance progress. Synopsis: Cesarean delivery rates are rapidly increasing in southeastern Europe, North Africa, and in urban areas in Southern Africa, prompting a time for reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental sustainability is a huge challenge in Africa as the region is currently struggling to provide sustainable systems to support daily human activities. Such activities in many African organisations include paper‐based information storage and communication which are not ecofriendly and place a huge burden on forest resources. This study therefore focused on the implication of overusing paper in an African university. Fifty offices in the university were surveyed and 59 questionnaires administered. The questionnaires were transcribed and analysed using both textual qualitative and quantitative analyses. The results showed that 6888 reams of paper (costing about 8 million Naira) are consumed annually by the university, translating to about 413 trees, which are enough to occupy a standard‐sized football pitch. It was also found that administrative staff members were generally Information Communication Technology (ICT) certified; however, many of them are still not well‐informed on the environmental implication of overconsuming paper even though they are largely aware of the benefits of paperless systems. Recommendations were offered on how to reduce the demand for paper by the university. This study is expected to create more awareness on the urgent need for African organisations to take environmental sustainability issues more seriously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education's (SAARMSTE's) role as a platform supporting research dissemination and connecting researchers in early grades mathematics (EGM) in the Southern African region. A review of the Long Papers in SAARMSTE over the last 20 years supports the finding of the other review papers in this Special Issue: that there has been substantial growth of attention to EGM since 2013. However, two distinctions are marked when looking at conference papers rather than journal papers. Firstly, there is a particularly large expansion of work in the last 5 years, with a broadening base of participation in this work. Second, looking across all the formats of conference presentations indicates SAARMSTE's role in supporting and building EGM as a key focus of research attention, and bringing together regional and international groups with interests in this area. Given that conference proceedings usually offer a broader picture of emerging interests than journal papers, we reflect on the range of foci of attention within EGM in the SAARMSTE Proceedings, and trends within this. These trends also help us to point to areas that are likely to be of key interest in the next decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During epidemics, such as the frequent and devastating Ebola virus outbreaks that have historically plagued regions of Africa, serological surveillance efforts are critical for viral containment and the development of effective antiviral therapeutics. Antibody serology can also be used retrospectively for population-level surveillance to provide a more complete estimate of total infections. Ebola surveillance efforts rely on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), which restrict testing to laboratories and are not adaptable for use in resource-limited settings. In this manuscript, we describe a paper-based immunoassay capable of detecting anti-Ebola IgG using Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein ectodomain (GP) as the affinity reagent. We evaluated seven monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against GP—KZ52, 13C6, 4G7, 2G4, c6D8, 13F6, and 4F3—to elucidate the impact of binding affinity and binding epitope on assay performance and, ultimately, result interpretation. We used biolayer interferometry to characterize the binding of each antibody to GP before assessing their performance in our paper-based device. Binding affinity (KD) and on rate (kon) were major factors influencing the sensitivity of the paper-based immunoassay. mAbs with the best KD (3–25 nM) exhibited the lowest limits of detection (ca. μg mL−1), while mAbs with KD > 25 nM were undetectable in our device. Additionally, and most surprisingly, we determined that observed signals in paper devices were directly proportional to kon. These results highlight the importance of ensuring that the quality of recognition reagents is sufficient to support desired assay performance and suggest that the strength of an individual's immune response can impact the interpretation of assay results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic library operations. In the quest to render fast, effective and efficient services, academic libraries have adopted different technologies in the past. Artificial intelligence technologies is the latest among the technologies currently being introduced in libraries. The technology which is considered an intelligent system, come in the form of robots and expert systems which have natural language processing, machine learning and pattern recognition capabilities. This paper examined the features of AI, the application of AI to library operations, examples of academic libraries with AI technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa, the need for AI in libraries and the challenges associated with the adoption of AI in libraries. The study concluded that AI holds a lot of prospects for the improvement of information services delivery in African academic libraries. Consequently, its adoption is a sinequanon to delivering robust library services in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What role did law play in articulating sovereignty and citizenship in postcolonial Africa? Using legal records from the secessionist Republic of Biafra, this article analyzes the relationship between law and national identity in an extreme context—that of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). Ideas about order, discipline, and legal process were at the heart of Biafra's sense of itself as a nation, and they served as the rhetorical justification for its secession from Nigeria. But they were not only rhetoric. In the turmoil of the ensuing civil war, Biafra's courts became the center of its national culture, and law became its most important administrative implement. In court, Biafrans argued over what behaviors were permissible in wartime, and judges used law to draw the boundaries of the new country's national identity. That law played this role in Biafra shows something broader about African politics: law, bureaucracy, and paperwork meant more to state-making than declensionist views of postcolonial Africa usually allow. Biafra failed as a political project, but it has important implications for the study of law in postcolonial Africa, and for the nation-state form in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper aims to highlight the vital importance of investing in advanced practice nursing (APN) for enhancing emergency care throughout Africa. Background: APN's role is increasingly recognized as pivotal in optimizing healthcare, particularly in emergency settings in Africa. It offers improved patient care quality and strengthens the healthcare workforce. Sources of evidence: Evidence is drawn from successful implementations of APN in various healthcare environments. This includes the development of APN‐specific curricula and training, mentorship initiatives, clinical supervision, and defining advanced nursing roles within healthcare organizations. Investing in APNs in emergency care in Africa can lead to improved quality and access to care, cost‐effectiveness, enhanced patient outcomes and satisfaction, and opportunities for professional development and career advancement in the healthcare workforce. Discussion: Despite facing barriers in implementation, APN in emergency care presents innovative solutions. Investing in APN can help healthcare entities and policymakers surmount these challenges, providing specialized patient care and improving health outcomes. The discussion emphasizes the benefits such as enhanced access to care, reduced healthcare costs, and improved patient outcomes, alongside bolstering the healthcare workforce. Conclusion: The necessity and benefits of investing in APN for emergency care in Africa are clear. It is crucial for improving healthcare delivery and outcomes. Implications for nursing practice: APN investment leads to a more competent and efficient nursing workforce, capable of addressing complex emergencies and improving patient care. Implications for nursing policy and health/social policy: The paper advocates for policies that support APN development and integration into the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for research to assess APN's long‐term impact and establish best practices for its implementation in emergency care across Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper discusses the development and progression of the advanced practice nurse practitioner role in Africa. Background: Providing adequate primary health care is problematic in Africa. The World Health Organization and International Council of Nurses proposed that nurses, specifically advanced practice nurse practitioners with the requisite skills in disease prevention, diagnosis and management, can be key to solving the primary care issue. Sources of evidence: This paper utilized publications from PUBMED, CINAHL, policy papers, websites, workgroups, conferences, and the experiences and knowledge of authors involved in leading and moving forward key events and projects. Discussion: Four African countries have formally adopted the advanced practice nurse practitioner role, with significant interest from countries throughout Africa, and ever‐increasing requests for assistance regarding initiation, development and integration of advanced practice roles. Initiatives to advance the roles have been supported by the International Council of Nurses Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network and Global Academy of Research and Enterprise. Next steps and projects for future role development are discussed. Conclusions: There is a progression towards the adoption of the advanced practice nurse practitioner role in Africa, and further mechanisms are suggested to allow full uptake and utilization. Implications for nursing practice: Prioritization and investment in initiatives implementing nurse practitioner/advanced practice nurse roles in Africa allows nurses to pursue further education, advanced role and leadership opportunities consistent with Nursing Now goals. Implications for health policy: Implementation of nurse practitioner/advanced practice nurse roles increases the primary care workforce, consistent with recommendations and priorities in the World Health Organization Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021–2025 helping countries ensure that nurses optimally contribute to achieving universal health coverage and other population health goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On balance, Africa generally has made some progress in good governance under liberal, multiparty democracy in the past two or three decades. But there are well‐noted, wide‐ranging dysfunctions in governance, which inhibit human development and fulfilment. Several papers have been published, which propose various solutions to the dysfunctions. Among them are proposals for types of all‐inclusive democratic politics. I examine a couple of these proposals and conclude that they generate formidable feasibility challenges, even for the types of democracy they advocate. This paper focuses on Ghana, but with a thrust intended to have import for the sustainability of democracy across Africa. The argument is basically that the operating democratic constitutions in Africa provide a normatively desirable liberal, multiparty democracy, which promises a reasonably good life for all without exception; but practice has resulted in enduring, multiple deprivations and low standards of living for millions of citizens. The reason for the undesirably wide gap between the ideal and the practice is not because multiparty democracy is inconsistent with African traditions or is otherwise not good for Africans, as some scholars claim, but because of those who tend to run it—their general incompetence, including or marked by their intellectual and ethical inability to rise above partisan limitations and failure to leverage the efficiencies of the free market system. The proposed solution for Ghana, intended to eliminate or significantly mitigate the dysfunctions just mentioned and to sustain the multiparty democracy, is to redesign the National Development Planning Commission (NPDC), a constitutional organ which serves the partisan executive, into a robust, non‐partisan, independent institution, anchored on the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances, to enable it to do at least the following two things: (a) to produce, with representation from key stakeholders, including political parties, technocratically objective, competent, efficient and accountable rolling and all‐inclusive National Development Plans (NDPs) in place of vote‐inspired and partisan manifestoes, with budgets approved by parliament; and (b) to monitor, evaluate and report on the governing party's implementation of the NDPs to parliament. Democracy will become sustainable as the general quality of lives grows steadily under the continuous implementation of all‐inclusive NDPs, which are to be crafted to efficiently and sustainably deliver public goods and services that serve district, regional and the common needs and interests of all Ghanaians rather than the interests of the few and powerful or, at best, of majorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democracy is a political system that has some universal appeal, and, this seems to invest it with some kind of legitimacy over other systems of government. But this in no way suggests that it is homogenously conceived or practiced across the world—particularly in Western and African countries. Yet there is some supposition that some cultures have (almost) perfected their practice of democracy while others are learning its rudiments. This tends to arouse the philosopher's interest in the conceptual and practical bases for the supposition. In African philosophy, the notion of consensus has often been touted as a kernel and mēnsūra for evidence of democracy in traditional African thought. This paper examines the propriety of this move, taking into account the specific positions of the Ghanaian philosophers, Kwasi Wiredu and Kwame Gyekye. It explores the political dynamics of contemporary Africa and brings out the challenges and prospects for the sort of democracy that is being practiced—or, at least, is said to be practiced—in Africa. It is often debated in African political thought whether consensus or majoritarian rule (characterized by such activities as voting and multipartism) defines democracy, but the paper argues that neither of them really brings about democracy. It then highlights the humanistic end of democracy. Using the Ghanaian experience especially, the paper proposes ways of improving the understanding and practice of democracy in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hymenaea verrucosa (formerly Trachylobium hornemannianum) is a tree that exudes a resin known as Zanzibar copal in Africa and Sundrus in Unani (Greeko-Arab) medicine. It shows various therapeutic properties such as astringent, anthelminthic, antiobesogenic, antilipidemic and emmenagogue. It has been used in the treatment of obesity, headache, sinusitis, wounds, cataract, otitis, palpitations, worm infestations, taenia, haemorrhage, hyperhidrosis, haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, etc. since ancient times. This paper is intended for the documentation of the biological properties of Hymenaea verrucosa and the chemical compounds found in it as it is an indigenous Unani as well as African origin medicinal tree with much potential. This will also prompt the need for scientific clinical studies on its various pharmacological actions as it has not been fully evaluated. Data sources were authentic Unani literature, modern pharmacology books, and published works including various research and review papers available on PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar. The eligibility criteria were all relevant articles up to 2023 that described the pharmacology and clinical effects of Hymenaea verrucosa. Hymenaea verrucosa resin contains diterpenes and their derivative terpenoids such as caryophyllenes, sesquiterpenes, trachylobanes, kaurenes, diterpene acids, such as trachylolic acid, isotrachylolic acid, α and β selinene, α cubebene, α copaene, α and β resenes, essential oils etc. These constituents have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, metabolic, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, antiparasitic activities in various in vitro and in vivo studies which conform with the old medical literature. The major limitation is that no in vivo or in vitro study has been conducted using the chemical constituents extracted from the resin. Therefore, this paper discusses the bioequivalence of the chemical components found in Hymenaea verrucosa resin through various studies. Zanzibar copal or Sundrus is a promising drug that has been effectively used in Unani medicine to treat various metabolic and phlegmatic disorders. Many potentially bioactive compounds are found in its resin, but no detailed studies of their biological activity are yet available. Therefore, there is a further need to focus research on Hymenaea verrucosa and its ingredients through advanced scientific methods. [Display omitted] • Sundrus is the resin of hymenaea verrucosa, previously trachylobium hornemannianum. • It has been used to treat obesity, sinusitis, haemorrhage, etc. since ancient times. • Zanzibar copal contains caryophyllene, diterpenes and trachylobanes. • They have apoptotic, antidiabetic, antiobesity and anticancer properties. • It can be concluded that gum copal can be used as a remedy for various ailments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farm biosecurity has gained increasing attention worldwide during the last decades because of its role in reducing the occurrence of diseases and improving animal performance. Recently, recommendations to reinforce the concept of farm biosecurity in lower- and middle-income countries have been advised. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive description of the methods and tools used to assess biosecurity compliance in livestock farms in Africa and formulate recommendations. The present review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews guidelines. Peer-reviewed studies reporting biosecurity assessment in poultry, cattle, pig, goat, or sheep farms in Africa were included. Five databases were searched with no date restrictions. A total of 41 studies across 17 countries were finally selected. Selected studies were all published after 2008, and an increasing trend in the number of papers published per year was noticed. In total, 41 different methods for biosecurity assessment were found to be used in African countries, meaning that even within the same country, the same animal species, and the same farming system, different methods were utilized. In many papers, the methods used for biosecurity evaluation were poorly described. In addition, during the biosecurity assessment, measures related to the purchase of laying hens, egg transport and management, calves, calving and dairy management, and nursery units were almost not considered. These measures should be contemplated in future studies since they are related to important risk factors for the introduction and dissemination of infectious diseases. Interestingly, some measures not considered in European biosecurity tools were identified in the selected studies. The observed high difference in methods used may be due to the lack of regulations on biosecurity in African countries; therefore, the authors recommend the development and implementation of a harmonized and contextualized method for the assessment of biosecurity in livestock farms in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on how Asante's idea of Afrocentricity could assist in the understanding of the main challenges and opportunities associated with curricula in Africa's post-colonial universities. In terms of methodology, the paper constitutes a conceptual treatise that draws from previous empirical research that focused on Afrocentricity and a plural programme - the extended curriculum programme within a university context where neoliberalism remains dominant. In this regard, the paper combines an extensive review of empirical cases and the authors' experiences of the extended curriculum programmes in diverse South African universities. Literature was reviewed from a wide range of sources that included Afrocentricity and curriculum transformation through plurality at individual and institutional pedagogic levels. The paper explores the complex nature of pedagogic transformation mainly due to the persistence of Western ideals under a resurgent neoliberal philosophy that shapes practices in contemporary university spaces. The paper thus highlights how Afrocentricity transcends simplistic notions of intellectual discussions as it highlights serious and practical realities that shape the identities, ideals, aspirations, and values of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In the process, ways in which pedagogic educational aspirations of the students could be redefined through an Afrocentric approach together with constraints are discussed. The individualist-oriented complications posed by neoliberal ideals that tend to contradict and, in some instances, hinder the Afrocentric core principle of inclusivity have left African universities at a crossroads with little to show in terms of progress in the transformation agenda. The paper concludes that Afrocentricity and its basis in cultural reconfiguration aims to ensure that people recognise their agency and affirm their identity and ability to draw from their existing agency to holistically transform the various aspects of their lives by overcoming the socio-economic and intellectual constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the intellectual legacy of Patrice Lumumba, a Congolese independence leader and the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The paper examines his contributions to the decolonisation and liberation of Africa through his political and leadership roles, ideas, and writings. The paper provides background information on Patrice Lumumba's life and political career, highlighting his key contributions to the decolonisation movement in the Congo and Africa more broadly. The paper then analyses the key ideas and themes from Lumumba's speeches and writings, particularly his ideas on decolonisation, Pan-Africanism, and African unity. Moreover, it also explores how Lumumba's ideas and legacy continue to shape contemporary scholarship and intellectual discourse on decolonisation and liberation in Africa. Furthermore, it examines his influence on later leaders and movements on the continent and in the African diaspora. The scope of this paper is limited to the historical context and dynamics of the time, drawing upon a wide range of scholarly works and academic sources that delve into the intellectual legacy of Patrice Lumumba and his significant contributions to the decolonisation and liberation movements in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African scholarship plays an important role in asserting the value of African epistemologies and those of the global South in the knowledge economy. This is pertinent to higher education in postcolonial Africa, whose indigenous knowledge systems and intellectual legacies have played peripheral roles because of coloniality and the global neoliberal trends. This paper presents a historical review of a generation of African scholarship that spans from the last half of the twentieth century to date. It does so with the view of exploring the developments, challenges and prospects experienced by African scholars in their pursuit of African knowledges and the decolonisation discourse in the higher education sector. The first part of the paper provides a backdrop through an analysis of some selected major research on the nature of African scholarship published in the last half of the twentieth century, and its contributions to the decolonisation discourse on the continent. The second part examines the nature of contribution of African scholarship to knowledge production in the twenty-first century. That section critically analyses the challenges and opportunities which have been encountered in reshaping the discourses of knowledge production and decolonisation in theory and practice. It is concluded that in its distinctiveness in asserting African and marginalised knowledge systems as valid and relevant, and operating in spaces of struggle, the African scholarship should continue to contribute to the interrogation of the objectivity of Eurocentric, neoliberal thought. The paper recommends the promotion of African scholarship in shaping the decolonisation of knowledge production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethnophilosophy debate in African philosophy has been primarily concerned with the nature and future direction of African philosophy, but this paper approaches the debate in search of lessons about philosophy in general. The paper shows how this ongoing debate has been obscured by varying understandings of "ethnophilosophy" and that a de facto victory has long since transpired, since "ethnophilosophy," in the sense recommended here, is flourishing. The paper argues that the political arguments with which Hountondji and Wiredu initiated the debate in the 1970s supervene on the metaphilosophical view that ethnophilosophy, if philosophy at all, is of a poor standard. Showing that ethnophilosophy must indeed be philosophy, it argues that the critics' low opinions of it depend on unrealistic assumptions about how philosophy makes progress. The paper concludes that Africa is lucky to have ethnophilosophies and that the rest of the world should hope to develop some. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Counseling as part of the informed consent process is a prerequisite for cesarean section (CS). Postnatal debriefing allows women to explore their CS with their healthcare providers (HCPs). Objectives: To describe the practices and experiences of counseling and debriefing, the barriers and facilitators to informed consent for CS; and to document the effectiveness of the interventions used to improve informed consent found in the peer‐reviewed literature. Search Strategy: The databases searched were PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Africa‐wide information, African Index Medicus, IMSEAR and LILACS. Selection Criteria: English‐language papers focusing on consent for CS, published between 2011 and 2022, and assessed to be of medium to high quality were included. Data Collection and Analysis: A narrative synthesis was conducted using Beauchamp and Childress's elements of informed consent as a framework. Main Results: Among the 21 included studies reporting on consent for CS, 12 papers reported on counseling for CS, while only one reported on debriefing. Barriers were identified at the service, woman, provider, and societal levels. Facilitators all operated at the provider level and interventions operated at the service or provider levels. Conclusions: There is a paucity of research on informed consent, counseling, and debriefing for CS in sub‐Saharan Africa. Synopsis: This scoping review identified only a small number of peer‐reviewed papers on informed consent, counseling, and debriefing for cesarean section in sub‐Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program demonstrated an overall adjusted incidence of typhoid fever 2–3 times higher than previous estimates in Africa. Recently, a single-dose typhoid conjugate vaccine that allows infants as young as 6 months old to be vaccinated was prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO). This Vi-based conjugate vaccine demonstrated robust immunogenicity after 1 dose in infants and children 6 through 23 months of age in India with no safety signal, and is currently being tested for the first time on the African continent in Malawi. The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts recommends studies to evaluate co-administering Vi-typhoid conjugate vaccine (Vi-TCV) with routine childhood vaccines in typhoid-endemic countries. The Burkina Faso immunization schedule includes yellow fever vaccine (YFV) at 9 months and meningococcal A conjugate vaccine (MCV-A) at 15 months, in addition to measles-rubella vaccine at both 9 and 15 months. Co-administration testing of Vi-TCV with these routine vaccinations will provide the data needed to support large-scale uptake of Vi-TCV in sub-Saharan Africa. A randomized, controlled, Phase II trial of Vi-TCV co-administration with the vaccinations routinely given at 9 and 15 months of age is planned in Burkina Faso. The overall aim is to assess the safety and immunogenicity of Vi-TCV when co-administered with YFV at 9 months of age and with MCV-A at 15 months of age. A total of 250 participants (100 infants aged 9–11 months and 150 children aged 15–23 months) will be enrolled. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT03614533. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enormous gap exists between Africa's current electrification rate and the 2030 UN goal to ensure universal access to modern energy. A study by Sanoh et al. published in Renewable Energy in 2014 [1] is a rare example of finding a cost minimal solution for the Africa-wide generation and transmission network. Unfortunately, however, the paper exhibits a number of relatively serious flaws that demand attention given the alarming paucity of such research on Africa. Five issues of the study by Sanoh et al. are identified and discussed in this commentary paper. Specifically, the study does not account for capacity factors when deriving required capacity additions, misses transmission losses when sizing generation capacity, models country-level import constraints incorrectly, introduces a supply option redundancy, and reports optimisation results that can be shown to be mathematically sub-optimal. As a result of some of these issues, the Sanoh et al. significantly underreport the required capacity to meet additional African demand in 2025. In addition to discussing these flaws, this paper provides potential approaches to avoid each of the five issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper interrogates the context that Poverty Reduction Strategy operates as a development policy framework implemented in Benin and Nigeria, and how this provides opportunities and constraints for the objective of poverty reduction. Also, it argues that within the context of a neo-liberal ideology and strategy of development which guide the formulation and implementation of poverty reduction strategy, poor developing countries have not experienced a reduction in poverty or a promised development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is a substantial body of leaving care research, the theorization of care leaving has been more limited. Only a few studies have incorporated a life course perspective, mainly in Global North contexts where life course perspectives may differ significantly from those in the Global South, including Africa. Drawing on findings from a feasibility research study, this paper contributes to the emerging international literature on theorizing care leaving by applying a life course perspective to the experiences of youth leaving care in four African countries. The paper highlights how life course can be a useful conceptual framework for understanding the experiences of care leavers with an emphasis on four core concepts: biography, linked lives, waithood, and agency. Implications for policy and practice are outlined with a focus on interdependence, participatory practice, biography, and cultural transition planning alongside efforts to redress systemic, oppressive barriers facing care leavers in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International child protection standards aim to ensure that non-governmental organisations 'do no harm' but the current approach to reporting abuse may actually leave children unprotected and, in some cases, expose them to greater risk. This discussion paper gives voice to concerns raised by local practitioners in Africa and places them within the context of available research in order to stimulate a debate aimed at enhancing the impact of current safeguards. Drawing on systems theory and the work of Pierre Bourdieu, the article illustrates how the current model of reporting often fails to take into account the significant disconnect between formal and informal protection mechanisms, as well as the unpredictability of individual decision-making. Examples from research and practitioner experience illustrate how reporting procedures may provide a route to protection which is impractical and undesirable to local people, and may ultimately be unhelpful to local practitioners. The article calls for further research to inform changes to the current approach and for a review of funding requirements in order that local organisations have greater scope to engage communities in the co-creation of procedures, thereby indigenising responses to ensure that they are realistic and genuinely respond to the specificities of children's lives. Key Practitioner Messages Formal reporting procedures may actually offer routes to protection that are inaccessible or unacceptable to local people., Reporting procedures should be developed with a much greater participation of local people., There is a need for investment in piloting and implementing locally led approaches to capacity building., The engagement of donors is critical in order to develop a new approach to evaluating 'child safe' organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs the concept of multidimensional heritage to examine colonial statues in Africa since the era of independences through transnational, diachronic, and multi-thematical perspectives. Colonial statues are viewed as transnational phenomena, with a focus on the African continent, emphasising the complex and evolving connections to former colonial powers in Europe. To capture the complexity of heritage uses, which is often best comprehended over an extended period, a diachronic approach is employed, and three periods are considered: colonial statues at independence (1950s to 1980); revival of (neo)colonial statues (1990s-2000s) and renewed contestations (since the 2010s). The paper also delves into various ways in which the past is used and interpreted through colonial statues, discussing aspects such as public memory, identities, diplomacy, aid, and justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies the concept of racialization to an analysis of research on the child welfare system's racial disparities and its interactions with Black African immigrant families. This conceptual paper makes the argument that Black African immigrants are an important population of focus for U.S. child welfare system research, and that the use of a racialization lens is necessary to interpret the experiences of the increasingly diverse, Black-racialized population with the child welfare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New tools are being explored to provide collective and participatory means of governing data to promote the management of data in ways that benefit those from whom data is collected. This paper discusses whether data trusts are feasible structures in an African context by outlining specific considerations that should be prioritised in the development of bottom-up and collective models of data governance on the continent. Making use of international instruments, principles and established values like Ubuntu, the paper analyses the importance of collective decision-making through collective and participatory governance, women's empowerment, and capacity-building, and how the alignment of data trusts to African contexts could help balance historical power differentials, and emphasise heterogeneity as the starting point of all discussions in the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AGRA (formerly known as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) was founded in 2006 by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Gates Foundation to initiate agricultural transformation in Africa. Although critics have argued that AGRA’s approach insufficiently addresses the needs of African smallholder farmers, there has been little analysis of the broader politics and networks that shape AGRA, a gap this paper aims to fill. Using a network analysis and key informant interviews, we identify the actors that constitute AGRA’s network, and describe related power constellations. Our paper illustrates that AGRA’s network is dominated by foundations, intergovernmental organisations and corporations, with decision-making located within Global North institutions. We reveal that the alliance displays characteristics of an ideological advocacy network and conclude that it can be considered a neoliberal food regime. We suggest better control mechanisms to hold accountable organisations without a political mandate, and to increase the transparency of their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global tourism industry necessitated several responses from policymakers in order to support the industry's recovery and post-pandemic growth. Southern Africa hosts tourism-sensitive and connected economies, with many tourists who arrive in one country, often visiting neighbouring countries. Using the United Nations World Tourism Organisation's policy framework for COVID-19 mitigation, recovery, and stability for the tourism industry, this paper critically examined the Southern Africa's level of support for mitigating the impact of the pandemic and their recovery strategies for the tourism industry. Data were collected from publicly available policy and strategic documents. Findings reveal non-compliance to referenced benchmarks, lack of regional policy direction from SADC, and divergent levels of support among the member countries. The paper recommends, among others, a revision of the SADC's regional tourism programme, collaborative tourism governance through increased regional integration, and improved destination attractiveness of the Southern African region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been hailed as a key pillar and catalyst for economic growth, industrialization, and sustainable development in Africa. One of the anticipated benefits is the promise to increase intra‐African trade through the elimination of import duties and other tariffs among countries. However, due to the heterogeneity between the African countries, questions remain as to whether each country will benefit from tariff elimination. This paper aims to evaluate the macroeconomic, fiscal, and welfare consequences of import tax removal in Senegal with the rest of Africa. We link an extended version of the partnership for economic policy (PEP) static computable general equilibrium (CGE) model with a non‐parametric microsimulation approach. We calibrate the model with Senegal's most recent Social Accounting Matrix. The microeconomic model is calibrated using the latest Senegalese household consumption survey. The findings indicate that tariff removal from the rest of Africa has favorable economic, fiscal, and welfare impacts for Senegal. The paper suggests that it will lead to an increase in economic growth and investment. The removal of tariffs is expected to favor urban households over rural ones and leads to a modest decrease in income inequality, accompanied by a 3.36% reduction in the number of poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding young people's lives through a focus on their micro‐geographies has been central for exercising young people's voices through research. However, such a focus has also neglected the multiple and complex realities of growing up that ripple throughout their lives, resulting in calls for more research to go beyond capturing daily snapshots of experience. This paper acknowledges that decades of research with and for young people living on city streets has underpinned activism and challenged western child rights discourse, helping to ensure that abuses and violations of street young people's rights are confronted. Yet, much of this research draws attention to lives lived in present moments – the difficulties encountered and capabilities displayed. It does not account for the temporal fluidity of how young people's realities are future impacted by slow crises and challenging daily life experiences as they grow towards adulthood. This paper explores the crisis temporalities of young people's street lives through a youth‐led ethnographic longitudinal approach. The paper focuses on 18 youth researchers and over 200 of their peers' experiences of research over three years while living on the streets of three African cities. The paper discusses the challenges of undertaking longitudinal research alongside the temporal affordances of surviving urban informality and the compounding effects of slow crises on present and future‐oriented survival. These affordances emerge as street youth respond to daily trials, experience setbacks, crises, triumphs, and failures, yet show resilience and employ capabilities. The paper concludes by demonstrating the crucial importance of ethnographic longitudinal research for policy and practice to ensure that youth who age on the streets, and their families, are supported in accordance with social justice concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mentorship may be conceptualised in terms of the form it takes, function it serves or it's learning centred nature which makes research in mentoring to receive attention within different disciplines. This article attempts to understand how a mentoring programme can contribute to enhanced research capacity building in the field of Innovation and Development (I&D) studies in Africa. It does this through a qualitative study of an African-oriented research capacity building network (AfricaLics) that aims at building a critical mass of scholars in I&D studies in the continent of Africa. Drawing on theoretical approaches in higher education that support systems of interaction thinking, the paper finds that more systematic and extensive mentorship, and awareness about different types of mentorship can enhance capacity building in the field of I&D studies. The paper recommends that development of an I&D mentorship programme must consider a mix of both structured and unstructured elements that are aligned to the local context. These context-specific elements are critical to building sustainable research capacity building programmes in academic disciplines that are transdisciplinary in nature such as I&D studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the influence of international trade, labor flow not only exists in the waves of international labor migration but is also embodied in international products and services. This paper focused on members of the China–Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC). We computed and analyzed the sectoral embodied labor transfer between China and Africa from 2000 to 2015 based on the Multiregional Input-Output Method. Our results are as follows: (1) Both China and Africa play roles as labor suppliers in the global supply chain. By ameliorating the trade structure, both China and Africa can better utilize their labor surplus. (2) China and Africa share complementarity in sectoral labor allocation. In short, the embodied labor transfer via international trade between China and Africa has, to some extent, relieved the labor shortage on both sides. (3) Africa has transformed into a net exporter of industrial labor since 2011. By analyzing the embodied labor flow from the global perspective, this paper beats a new path in depicting the effect of international trade on labor allocation, enriches the evaluation of embodied labor transfer between China and Africa, and also provides a beneficial supplement to Multiregional Input-Output analysis in the field of factor flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to investigate the effect of economic complexity on environmental degradation in 20 selected African countries over the period 1991–2014. The Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS), and Driscoll‐Kraay estimators (DK) are used to capture the objectives of the study. The results suggest that economic complexity and economic growth enhance environmental degradation. Also, natural resources rents and globalization improve environmental quality. Furthermore, the findings reject the U‐shaped relationship between economic complexity and environmental degradation. In addition, the Dumitrescu‐Hurlin panel causality test shows a bidirectional causal relation between economic complexity and environmental degradation. Taking into account the ecological deficit or ecological reserve status of country, it is shown that while the natural resource rents reduce environmental degradation in ecological reserve countries, they increase environmental degradation in ecological deficit countries. The results are robust when an alternative measure of economic complexity is used. Based on these findings, the paper suggests that the governments of African countries should take into account economic complexity when designing their environmental protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background Multidimensional Poverty (MP) considers poverty in multiple dimensions of deprivations such as health, education, energy, the standard of living and access to basic services. MP remains a major challenge in Africa, with a large proportion of the population living in MP. According to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Africa has shown the highest Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) having over 40% of its population living in MP. Goal and Objectives: This paper is a review, aimed at assessing the potential of the integration of satellite and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in mapping MP, with a specific focus on Africa. Methodology: Based on the reviews of past studies, the combination of satellite data such as nighttime light, daytime satellite imagery and high-resolution settlement data in combination with techniques such as field surveys, statistical correlation models (transfer learning) and AI (deep learning) has been applied in mapping MP. Results: The findings from studies show that the combination of satellite data and AI has the capability of providing more accurate and granular MP maps, compared to the traditional approach. Again, this paper explains the concept of MP with a specific focus on Africa and presents a map depicting the current MPI in African countries. Finally, pitfalls especially in the accuracy, granularity and frequency of MP data were identified. Consequently, the satellite and AI approaches are recommended for more accurate, frequent, cost-effective and granular data, required in mapping poverty and design of interventions that effectively address the needs of the vulnerable populations in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background Umoja, is the Swahili philosophy of unity. Its principles underscore the significance of cooperation and communal solidarity. Umoja has historically been associated with various aspects of African social and political life, accentuating the influence of communal synergy in traditional land tenure systems. The Umoja philosophy encourages individuals to consider collective-wellbeing as being complementary to individual interests, thereby fostering a profound sense of social responsibility in traditional approaches to land holding. In contemporary African society, Umoja continues to wield substantial influence in facilitating social cohesion and the establishment of robust and supportive communities. Notwithstanding, the principles of Umoja remain relatively uncharted in the context of modern approaches to land reform policies. Goal and Objectives: The primary objective of this paper entails an in-depth examination of prevailing land tenure systems throughout the African continent, with a concurrent aspiration to formulate a novel land-holding system that harmoniously integrates with and encapsulates the diverse cultural and contextual intricacies inherent in Africa. At its core, this endeavor seeks to leverage the proposed land-holding framework as a catalyst, with the ultimate ambition of elevating substantial segments of the African populace from multidimensional poverty to a state of enduring prosperity. Methodology: The methodological approach employs a secondary analysis, focusing on African communal land and resource management case studies. The paper assesses their achievements and shortcomings, emphasizing the 'Gestion de Terroir' model in West Africa and the less successful Community Land Trust Experiment in Voi, Kenya. Drawing from successful and unsuccessful cases, the paper develops a comprehensive blueprint for effective communal land tenure systems, guided by Elinor Ostrom's principles for successful management of communal resources and the principle of Umoja, for equitable and sustainable land management in Africa. Results The findings from this study highlight critical issues within existing communal land systems across Africa. Specifically, the primary challenges identified are the absence of formalized communal land titles, as well as issues stemming from the inability of attempted communal land holding projects to align with local idiosyncrasies, capacities, and objectives. Consequently, this paper formulates a novel communal land tenure system for the African context, synthesizing these lessons to create a more sustainable approach that bridges the gap between formalization and local adaptability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background: Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSP) for inclusive people-centred land governance are increasingly recognized as central mechanisms for countries to find sustainable solutions to complex land tenure issues. MSPs create an inclusive forum where actors can discuss problems and propose solutions to improve governance of tenure and provide better access to natural resources. The establishment of MSPs to address land tenure issues are also key recommendations expressed in normative frameworks on land tenure at regional, continental or international levels. These include the Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa (F&G) adopted in 2009, and the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) adopted in 2012. Over the past decade, several countries in the continent have successfully adopted new land legislation. Goal and Objectives: The goal of this paper is to demonstrate how MSPs can contribute to inclusive and participatory land reforms processes in view of securing tenure rights especially for the most vulnerable. It also contributes to address the challenges faced by these platforms in engaging key actors including the government, private sector and the most vulnerable constituencies at community level, towards addressing land issues systemically and achieve transformative change. Methodology: This paper is the result of a light qualitative ex-post evaluation of the approaches developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Land Coalition (ILC) and other partners in the field of land governance over the last 15 years. The paper also builds on desk/literature review that helped gathering needed information on land policy issues and processes. Results: MSPs have contributed to the adoption and implementation of ground-breaking policies and laws, including the National Land Policy of DRC (2021), the Community Land Rights Act (2022) and the National Land Commission Act (2022) in Sierra Leone; the Land Code (2018) in Togo, the Land Rights Act in Liberia (2018). MSPs provide a constructive space for dialogue, coordination, capacity building and collective action to link up efforts from grassroots to national level. They also contribute to addressing power imbalances and strengthening capacities and accountability of government and private actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background A global land rush -driven by a variety of factors-is driving transformative change in African rural communities that depend on land for their livelihoods. This increased demand has resulted in the acquisition of large areas of land on the continent. While the pace and scale of land acquisition may be levelling off,1 in many cases, some or all of the land acquired by investors stands idle.2 Land return- in which a private company legally transfers all or part of its land holdings back to a community or government-is an emerging phenomenon that may be on the rise as companies seek to limit their exposure to risk, governments redesignate lands and communities push for the return of their land. Land return holds promise as a way to correct for overzealous and misguided land acquisition and historical injustices amidst a growing understanding of the value of land to communities. Goal and Objective Yet land return presents challenges, many of which may be unexpected. Though existing frameworks and guidelines regarding responsible investments require effective community consultation, there is less clarity and limited guidance on what risks, mitigation strategies, and tools are needed to safeguard the rights of communities in the context of land return. Methodology This paper brings forward experience from a recent land return process in Tanzania in which Landesa and its partners worked to identify and put into practice standards and approaches that protect community rights while supporting a company's efforts to comply with best practices, national and international requirements and expectations for responsible corporate practice. The tools and processes tested and shared through this project align with efforts to support implementation of the Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Areas (AfCFTA) and achieve the aspiration of the Africa We Want (Agenda 2063). Results: This paper highlights the importance of inclusive and transparent land governance practices by presenting a case study of Landesa's experience working with a forestry company to engage with communities and local land administration to understand needs and expectations around the companys intention to return approximately 14,000 hectares of land. The case study will highlight land return-related risks, present a model for community benefit sharing arrangements, and will share lessons learned, highlighting potential best practices that companies holding idle land might consider and employ to reallocate to landscarce communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into businesses has become increasingly widespread in recent years, particularly in developed countries, fundamentally reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation. AI presents numerous opportunities for small businesses, including those involved in cross-border trade. It has the potential to transform various aspects of business operations, such as customer interactions, marketing research, understanding consumer behavior, optimizing routes, and forecasting sales and marketing trends. Additionally, AI can contribute to the formalization of business processes, and assist these businesses in adapting more effectively to the ever-changing dynamics of the market. However, the successful implementation of AI necessitates a meticulous assessment of AI applications to ensure alignment with the objectives and resources of each individual small business. Goal and Objectives: The primary focus of this paper is to explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence in enhancing Africa's cross-border trade. The paper will address the following research questions: What are the effective applications of artificial intelligence in cross-border informal trade in Africa, and what are the limitations? What does the future hold for African countries in terms of utilizing artificial intelligence for cross-border trade? How can African informal cross-border traders and their stakeholders benefit from incorporating artificial intelligence in their activities? Methodology: The research is purely empirical research based on observation and measurement of phenomena, as directly experienced by the researcher. Results: AI can be effectively applied by Informal Cross-Border Traders (ICBT) to enhance their businesses and enhance competitiveness. There are several AI applications accessible to ICBT within their operational context. Although the adoption and utilization of AI in Africa are still in their infancy, there is considerable promise for the future. Africans must address the challenges hindering the adoption and utilization of AI, as technology is advancing rapidly, and opportunities await those who embrace it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women in Africa are experiencing a rising burden of endometrial cancer. Research and investment to improve treatment and outcomes are critically needed. We systematically reviewed and characterized endometrial cancer-related research within a clinically relevant context to help organize and assess existing endometrial cancer research in Africa. Methods: According to PRISMA guidelines, we searched online databases for published endometrial cancer articles from African countries from January 1, 2011, to July 20, 2021. Based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, independent reviewers documented the study design, country/region, human development index, focus of research, type of interventions performed, and histologic and molecular type to illustrate the breadth of research coverage in each region. Results: A total of 18 research articles were included. With an average Human Development Index (HDI) in Africa of 0.536, the average HDI of the represented countries in this study was 0.709. The majority (88.9%) of prospective endometrial cancer research articles in Africa were from North Africa, with Egypt encompassing 83.3% of the papers. Most of these studies focused on endometrial cancer diagnosis. Research on the treatment of endometrial cancer is still emerging (33% of papers). Of all included articles, only 11.1% represented Sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority population of black Africans reside. Conclusions: Endometrial cancer research in Africa is extremely limited, with the majority being concentrated in African countries with higher HDIs. As the incidence of endometrial cancer rises in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a pressing need for more prospective clinical research to tackle the growing disease burden and improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines issues of the slave trade and slavery in the Momo River valley of Cameroon. Using primary sources (oral tradition and archival materials) and secondary sources, the paper shows the impact of the transatlantic slave trade in the region not only in the slave trade and slaving activities but also in the transformation of some old social institutions and the emergence of new ones. The paper argues that the transatlantic slave trade introduced capitalists in this part of Africa, who continued to make profits from legitimate commerce after the abolition of the slave trade through the persistent enslavement of other Africans to work in the palm oil industry. The Momo River valley continued to be a major source of these slaves. This paper therefore brings into the limelight slavery and the slave trade in an area which contributed to the transatlantic and the post-transatlantic slave trade but which has still not received adequate scholarly attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Libraries in Africa are adopting technology at a fast pace. However, literature has provided enough evidence of the many challenges libraries on the continent are facing in the use of the adopted information technology of which information systems (ISs) are major components. Literature also does not provide evidence of IS standard, policy or guideline at both national and international levels as a benchmark for the use of these systems. Therefore, this paper aims to propose an IS standard guideline as a guide for libraries in Africa to develop IS policies, standards or guidelines to help in effective use of IS in libraries. Design/methodology/approach: The researchers based their proposed standard guideline on the findings from their earlier research works and evidence from other existing literature as has been reviewed in this paper. Findings: Findings from the literature revealed that libraries in Africa face a number of challenges in the use of IS which can be categorised into four main areas, namely, financial challenges, technological and infrastructural challenges, human resource challenges and organizational challenges. Originality/value: This paper proposed an IS standard guideline to serve as a guide for libraries in Africa to develop IS policies, standards or guidelines to help in effective use of IS in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses bioethics in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The Introduction (Section 1) highlights that at the field's inception, infectiousness was not front and center. Instead, infectious disease was widely perceived as having been conquered. This made it possible for bioethicists to center values such as individual autonomy, informed consent, and a statist conception of justice. Section 2 urges shifting to values more fitting for the moment the world is in. To find these, it directs attention to the Global South, and in particular, Africa, and to the values of ubuntu, solidarity, dignity, kinship, and humility. The paper concludes (in Section 3) that 21st‐century challenges facing bioethics are increasingly global, and calls on bioethicists themselves to be more globally inclusive in their approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyse the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and its potential to unleash the development of women in Africa. The envisaged benefits of the AfCFTA include increased trade diversification, regional integration, enhanced human security, increased foreign direct investment and technological advancement. Despite optimism about the prospects of the agreement as a local innovation spearheaded by the African Union, pessimists raise questions about the extent of stakeholder engagement. The agreement must be gender-responsive to enhance outcomes for women cross-border traders. The paper concludes that the lack of gender sensitivity confirms the need to address the specific needs of African women, especially those involved in informal cross-border trade. Hence, for AfCFTA, the policy focus should be on ensuring the formalisation of women who participate in informal trade, thus helping increase access to markets, information and growth opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the collection of Amiri Baraka's works, highlighting facts on his collection of poetry, print publications regarding the Black arts movement and his involvement in politics. Topics include the documentation of the collection, Black Women's United Front (BWUF), and the African Liberation.

Postal operators across the globe are faced with inescapable business model disruptions in the era of the digital economy, and Southern Africa is no exception. The advent of the digital age presents both opportunities and threats to business models of the industrial age, as digitalisation has led to the sustained decline of mail volumes as the core business of the postal service for the past 100 years. The replacement of traditional physical mail with electronic alternatives was a spectre that haunted the postal service for more than two decades; and the arrival of the digital age has accelerated the decline of mail volumes at an unprecedented speed as it spreads through almost every sector of society and as the digital economy becomes the preferred platform for conducting business. The digital economy requires postal operators to develop digital competitiveness, which entails investment in digital infrastructure and skills, and to transform their business model in the context of the digital age. The complex dynamics of the process of digital transformation necessitate a systems approach to understanding those dynamics. System dynamics can be a significant tool for comprehending behaviour, especially dynamic behaviour. This paper adopted a high-level modelling approach in which a dynamic hypothesis was developed through the articulation of a sub-system diagram that articulated the dynamic variables at play, a model boundary chart that articulated the nature of the variables (which are both exogenous and endogenous), and causal loop diagrams that explain the dynamic feedback relationship between the variables. This paper focused on the digital transformation imperatives to build the digital competitiveness of the postal sector in Southern Africa. The results point to the complex interaction of the variables that drive the digital competitiveness of the postal sector; and it is by comprehending these complexities that decision-makers and policymakers could steer the postal sector on to a digital-age path and into a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-banking in research elicits numerous ethical issues related to informed consent, privacy and identifiability of samples, return of results, incidental findings, international data exchange, ownership of samples, and benefit sharing etc. In low and middle income (LMICs) countries the challenge of inadequate guidelines and regulations on the proper conduct of research compounds the ethical issues. In addition, failure to pay attention to underlying indigenous worldviews that ought to inform issues, practices and policies in Africa may exacerbate the situation. In this paper we discuss how the African context presents unique and outstanding cultural thought systems regarding the human body and biological materials that can be put into perspective in bio-bank research. We give the example of African ontology of nature presented by John Samwel Mbiti as foundational in adding value to the discourse about enhancing relevance of bio-bank research in the African context. We underline that cultural rites of passage performed on the human body in majority of communities in Africa elicit quintessential perspective on beliefs about handling of human body and human biological tissues. We conclude that acknowledgement and inclusion of African indigenous worldviews regarding the human body is essential in influencing best practices in biobank research in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the effect of export diversification on income inequality in Central Africa through the employment channel. The sample consists of 9 countries over the period 2000–2019. A quadratic regression is applied to a panel data model using the random effect and the two stages least squares methods. The results show that export diversification increases income inequality in Central Africa. However, this effect is non-linear with the form of an inverted U. Increasing the number of wage workers reduces the marginal effect of export diversification on income inequality while increasing the number of unpaid workers increases this effect. Moreover, diversification is less likely to reduce income inequality when it increases male employment than when it increases female employment. The effect of diversification on income inequality remains non-linear in an inverted U-shape for CEMAC countries' members (CEMAC: Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States) and oil-producing countries, while it is non-linear in a U-shape for non-CEMAC countries and non-oil-producing countries. We recommend that Central African countries promote the diversification of exports while encouraging new productive activities to generate more paid jobs and to favor female employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role that humans played in the extinction of Pleistocene proboscideans is highly controversial. Ethnohistoric records of elephant hunting, in concert with theoretical rationales, are often used as proxy evidence to support the view that ancient humans regularly and efficiently targeted large-sized proboscideans to the point of extinction. This paper examines the socioeconomic and technological contexts of elephant hunting in contemporary and ethnohistoric records to show how these circumstances influenced the scale of harvest, productivity, and valuation of elephants. Quantitative and qualitative evidence derived from some of these records are used to analyze the efficiency of elephant capture using traditional hunting technologies (spears, poisoned projectiles, traps, and drives). This analytical framework provides a systematic method for evaluating the productivity of proboscidean predation. Results show that prior to the widespread use of firearms in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the acquisition of elephants, irrespective of the traditional hunting technology used, was a dangerous, high-cost activity often associated with a high-risk of hunting failure. In the ethnographic record, elephant hunting is consistently associated with prestige-seeking among egalitarian hunter-gatherers. Although the analysis presented here is derived from hunting episodes that involved modern elephants, the physical characteristics and abilities that make these animals expensive and risky to hunt were likely manifested by most Pleistocene proboscideans. Using ethnographic data, a framework for recognizing how prestige hunting is manifested under different ecological and sociopolitical circumstances is provided and offers an alternative and compelling explanation for zooarchaeological patterning of costly prey in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]