Notizie

How Africa could become the future breadbasket of the world? A possible approach from FAO

Giovedì 11 Aprile 2024 15:30

There are no translations available.

In 2011, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published a booklet titled “why Africa has become a net food importer?”. The publication argued that Africa started to grow its food deficit since the mid-1970s, despite its vast agricultural potential, due to a combination of factors such as: population growth, low and stagnating agricultural productivity, policy distortions, weak institutions and poor infrastructure. The booklet also noted that the wealthier countries in Africa are those with the highest food imports per capita (USD 185 per year in real terms), while Africa’s low-income countries, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa, import far less food per capita (USD 17 per year), but have higher difficulties in covering their food imports bills, as the reserves of hard currency derived from exports are minimal, and insufficient to cover the costs of such imports.

US look at African mineral sector to quench their thirst of critical minerals

Martedì 09 Aprile 2024 14:34

There are no translations available.

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP), an American federal institution tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide, published a study conducted by a group of experts with knowledge of Africa mining policies to explore the role that United States could play in Africa to diversify their critical mineral supply chains and contribute at the same time to drive economic development and strengthen peace and security on the African continent.

Free movement of persons of persons in Africa: one step ahead, two steps back

Giovedì 04 Aprile 2024 17:07

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The Africa Migration Report is a joint report of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The first edition was published in 2020. The second edition (AMR II), just released, notes that the high mobility of African population is a cultural behavior that is deeply rooted in ancient nomadic activities and practices, justified by economic reasons, that still today are widespread in the continent. The main ones are indicated in pastoralism and small-scale cross-border trade, where huge masses of people every day crisscross borders in search of trading opportunities (profiting from the price differentials among African countries due to different application of customs duties and taxes on traded goods) or of pasture for their livestock. These activities and practices, the report notes, have been exacerbated by conflicts and climate change, which push entire communities to continually move from one territory to another in search of opportunities capable of guaranteeing a livelihood for themselves and their families.

African Credit rating Agency starts taking shape

Giovedì 28 Marzo 2024 14:39

There are no translations available.

During the 6th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration (STC-FMAEPI) held from 20 to 21 July 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya, the Committee adopted a declaration to initiate works for the establishment of a private sector-driven African Credit rating Agency based on self-funding and sustaining. STCs are Committees of Ministers or senior officials that work in close collaboration with the various Departments of the African Union (AU) Commission, providing inputs to support the work of the AU Executive Council (a body that, in turns, works in support of the AU Assembly), with regard to thematic areas that fall within their areas of competence. The criteria and the roadmap for the establishment of the African Credit Rating Agency (ACRA) have been discussed by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in a two-day retreat in Lusaka, Zambia, that started yesterday, 27 March, and ended today. This represents a very first step in the direction in the establishment of such Agency.

UNECA publishes AfCFTA implementation strategies synthesis report

Martedì 26 Marzo 2024 15:53

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The United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has recently published a report which provides a snapshot of AfCFTA implementation strategies in the continent, with a list of the countries and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that have adopted them and a description of their core elements, the process by which they were developed, and experiences of some African states in their implementation.