The Conversation Africa
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The world's largest refugee camp: what the future holds for Dadaab
Over the past month Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp has marked several important events. More than 3,400 children from over 30 primary schools sat for …
RefugeesWest Africa: empirehood and colonialism offer lessons in integration
The dream of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was, among others, to foster trade and development among …
West AfricaWhy changes to South Africa's labour laws are an assault on workers' rights
The biggest changes to South Africa’s labour laws since 1995, shortly after the country’s first democratic elections, are currently being considered …
South AfricaCape Town's water crisis: driven by politics more than drought
Cape Town, South Africa’s second most populous city, is hurtling towards “Day Zero”: the day taps run dry. This is expected in mid-May, just weeks …
South Africa'Ghost Town': a haunting 1981 protest song that still makes sense today
England, 1981. In some rural South West discos menace was in the air; no night complete without a fight, Skinheads attacking whoever riled them, …
Charles DickensSouth Africa needs a fresh approach to its stubbornly high levels of inequality
It is widely accepted that South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world – the top 10% of the population earn about 60% of all …
EqualityThere's more to evidence-based policies than data: why it matters for healthcare
A critical part of reaching the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals in 13 years’ time is to ensure that everyone can access equitable and …
Health CareA year of illusions: five things we learnt about democracy in Africa in 2017
The last twelve months have been a confusing time for African democracy. We have seen coups that didn’t look like coups and elections that didn’t …
AfricaTelescopes in southern Africa will peel back the universe's secrets from 2018
One of the world’s largest collaborative science projects is about to enter its most exciting year yet. This will see researchers in a remote stretch …
Albert EinsteinTanzania at 56: echoes of the best and worst of Nyerere under Magufuli
The Tanzanian mainland is marking the 56th anniversary of independence from British rule. The mainland unified with Zanzibar in 1964 to create the …
AfricaWhy talk of unity in South Africa's ANC is disingenuous, and dangerous
South Africa is gripped by anxiety laced with anticipation as the much anticipated African National Congress (ANC) 54th elective conference draws …
Nkosazana Dlamini-ZumaGlobal malaria report reveals Africa's hits and misses: here's what to do
The 2017 World Malaria Report provides a clear picture of the work required to control malaria. Data from over 90 countries reveals a dramatic …
Public HealthSouth Africa has a reading crisis: why, and what can be done about it
The teacher stands in front of her Grade 4 class. The 45 nine and ten-year olds are crammed together at desks, huddled over shared books. Some are …
South AfricaMali's cultural capital shows how citizen-centred development can trump gentrification
In the first week of every February, the streets of Ségou in Mali come to life. Residents from the capital, Bamako, flock to the secondary city to …
CitiesWhy the focus on China’s role in Mugabe’s fall missed the bigger picture
The fall of Robert Mugabe has dominated global coverage of Africa over the past few weeks. In Western coverage of the first week after the coup in …
ChinaSouth Africa's communist party strips the ANC of its multi-class ruling party status
<i>The South African Communist Party (SACP) has broken with history and challenged the governing African National Congress (ANC) in an election. The</i> …
South AfricaMoving beyond the green revolution in Africa's new era of hunger
A quarter of the world’s hungry people are in sub-Saharan Africa and the numbers are growing. Between 2015 and 2016, the number of hungry – those in …
AgricultureWhat Migingo, the world's tiniest disputed island, tells us about international law
For as far back as anyone could remember, Migingo was nothing more than an uninhabited pinprick on Lake Victoria. One of three small islands in the …
AfricaIs it Cameroon's turn to be suspended from US trade pact with Africa?
Cameroon has been a member of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiative since it was launched in 2000. AGOA is a preferential trade …
AfricaEngineering research in Africa is growing but it's still a patchy picture
Africa’s vast land mass and rich natural and mineral resources make it strategically important and an increasingly significant global player. It is …
ResearchThe ANC leadership race will go down to the wire: here's why
The suspense is tangible as the African National Congress (ANC) – South Africa’s former liberation movement that’s turned into a tired governing …
Nkosazana Dlamini-ZumaNigeria set to pass a law against mob lynching. Will it make a difference?
“Ole, ole!” (thief, thief!) is all that needs to be shouted in Nigeria before large crowds gather to beat, and often burn, the accused to death. …
BJPDeveloping countries could get sick before they get rich. Policy can help
Improved human well-being is one of the modern era’s greatest triumphs. The age of plenty has also led to an unexpected global health crisis: two …
GeographyBitcoin is a highly speculative investment. Why caution is required
With the price of a bitcoin reaching record highs of more than $10,000, more and more ordinary people consider investing in the cryptocurrency. The …
BitcoinSnags that could cast doubt on ANC's choice of new leaders
<i>South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) holds its highly contested national elective conference for its top six leaders, between</i> …
GovernmentHistory explains why South Africans on the left argue for free passes for the rich
In a society like South Africa in which one racial group has dominated another, poor people are ignored in economic debates by those who claim to …
South AfricaCan't teach old dogs new tricks? Nonsense. Tips for learning later in life
Change, often rapid and disorienting, is today’s norm. Even things our grandparents took for granted – manual typewriters, telegrams, smelling salts, …
LearningThe EU-Africa summit is now the AU-EU summit. Why the upgrade matters
African and European heads of government gathered last week in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, for their 5th summit since 2000. For the first time, the …
AfricaSomaliland after the elections: old traps, new challenges
The Republic of Somaliland is recognised as an autonomous region in Somalia’s northwestern region. Since it broke away from Somalia in 1991, it has …
ElectionsNadya Krupskaya: the Russian revolutionary
Nadezhda (Nadya) Krupskaya was a significant figure in the radical movement that made the Russian Revolution a century ago. But, like many women in …
Russia