Africa: Diplomatic Dip for France as African Nations Seek Out Stronger Partners

[ad_1] French diplomacy in Africa weakened considerably in 2023 as former allies steered their foreign policies elsewhere in the wake of military coups and general political upheaval. A new law making it harder for foreigners to immigrate to France has compounded matters. French interests in Africa face monumental challenges in 2024 - especially following the toppling of leaders in Niger and Burkina Faso - which, like Mali, are former French military strongholds in the restive Sahel region. A lengthy partnership […]

January 6, 2024

Africa

Africa: Five New Countries, Including Saudi Arabia and Iran, Formally Join Brics

[ad_1] Members of the expanded BRICS bloc have declared to work for multilateral regimes and multipolarity against the attempts to create hegemony and dominance in the world politics Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates formally joined the BRICS group on Monday, January 1, 2024, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced in a statement issued on the occasion of his country taking over the presidency of the group. The five countries and Argentina were invited to join BRICS […]

January 3, 2024

Africa

Africa: Brics Expands With Five New Members

[ad_1] The Brics group of countries has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The announcement on Monday coincided with Russia assuming the Brics chairmanship on 1 January. Russian president Vladimir Putin said the inclusion of the five nations as full members of Brics - a group consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - reflects the growing influence of the association, now comprising 10 countries. "This decision, endorsed during the 15th […]

January 2, 2024

Africa

Africa: What Covid Diaries Have in Common With Samuel Pepys’ 17th-Century Plague Diaries

[ad_1] People keep diaries for all sorts of reasons - to record events, work through difficult situations, or manage stress and trauma. The ongoing COVID inquiry shows diaries also have important political and historic significance. The UK's former chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance's diaries have been a key source of evidence, exposing the chaos within government at the time. In my PhD research, I've been exploring the COVID diaries of ordinary people, as well as diaries kept during the Great […]

January 2, 2024

News

Kenya: Chebet Closes Out 2023 on a High With World Record in Barcelona

[ad_1] Nairobi — Commonwealth Games 5000m champion Beatrice Chebet ended her year on a high when she set a world record for the women's 5km at the Cursa dels Nassos race in Barcelona yesterday evening. Chebet clocked 14:13 in first place, to smash the previous record of 14:19, held by Ethiopian Ejegayehu Taye as well as the women-only record of 14:29, set by another Ethiopian, Senbere Teferi in 2021. In second place was Taye, who clocked 14:21 as another Kenyan, […]

January 2, 2024

Europe and Africa