Africa / Features

Trump and Carthage: The end of history revisited

Ben Aris in Berlin March 28, 2025

What has gone wrong with the world? Protests and wars have broken out across the globe. Analysts are warning that weak countries could face problems but the strong ones are suffering from a deeper long term rot that will change the world order.

Welcome to the new transactional world order

Ben Aris in Berlin March 21, 2025

Welcome to the new world order. Values and liberal democracy is giving way to a world run on the basis of deals.

US-South Africa relations sink to new low with ambassador who “hates America” expelled amid racism allegations

Brian Kenety March 17, 2025

US-South Africa relations have tanked since Donald Trump took office. In the latest salvo, Washington has expelled South Africa’s ambassador, whom Marco Rubio called a “race-baiting politician” who “hates America” and Trump.

Guns and gold: how two coups reshaped Burkina Faso’s mining sector

Jason Mitchell March 4, 2025

Burkina Faso sits atop some of West Africa’s richest mineral deposits, yet vast reserves remain untapped. As Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer, it has long relied on the precious metal to drive its economy.

Liberia’s mining resurgence: from conflict to opportunity

Jason Mitchell March 3, 2025

Liberia’s vast mineral wealth has been both a blessing and a curse. Rich in iron ore, gold and diamonds, the country was once a major exporter, but decades of civil war shattered the industry.

PANNIER: Prince Karim Aga Khan IV obituary

Bruce Pannier February 7, 2025

Spiritual leader who mingled with heads of state and royalty leaves behind tremendous amount of grassroots work that will benefit Ismaili Muslim communities for generations to come.

Can Eritrea’s mining sector flourish under autocratic rule?

Jason Mitchell February 4, 2025

Eritrea – known as Africa's North Korea – is attracting considerable Chinese interest in its vast mineral resources despite the regime's autocratic nature.

Gold and guns: how civil war keeps Sudan's mineral riches in the ground

Jason Mitchell February 2, 2025

Sudan is a treasure trove of untapped resources – vast reserves of gold, iron ore and other precious minerals. However, the country’s ongoing civil war and profound political instability suffocate its economic potential and keep out FDI.

Mixing with the running stars at Kenya’s Home of Champions high altitude training camp

Mike Weber in Iten Kenya January 19, 2025

After a 40-minute flight from Nairobi to Eldoret and a 30-minute taxi to Iten, I arrived at my home for the next week, the mecca of long-distance training facilities, the High Altitude Training Centre in Kenya where the world's best runners train.

From oil to minerals: Gabon’s ambitious mining transition

Jason Mitchell January 9, 2025

Gabon – home to 25% of the world’s manganese reserves and the possessor of vast mineral riches – is rapidly establishing its mining sector as a key force in economic diversification.

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