DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 15 | UNITED STATESTRADEAFRICA Trump targets four countries with new tariff 14th July 2025 Despite US pledges, plans for AGOA revamp are unclear South Africa, Libya, Algeria and Tunisia were among a group of over 20 countries to be issued with tariff letters from United States President Donald Trump’s administration this... READ FOR FREE
Vol 66 No 14 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONSCLIMATE CHANGE Bonn summit exposes rifts and inertia on climate action 8th July 2025 Geopolitical rivalries are sinking the UN treaty to cut carbon emissions and protect developing economies ahead of the Brazil summit in November The UN’s preparatory climate summit in Bonn from 16-26 June offered a grim portent of what may happen in the main event – the UN COP30 climate summit...
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 14 | EUROPEAN UNIONAFRICAENERGY Africa cuts carbon, Europe takes the credit 7th July 2025 The EU is pushing ahead with carbon credit schemes despite criticism from its own advisory board EU governments will be encouraged to use carbon credit schemes in Africa to count towards their own emissions reduction targets by 2040, under a new law tabled on... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 14 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONSHEALTH Summit delivers vaccine cash but US sits out 30th June 2025 US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jnr has criticised a key Gavi vaccine Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, secured most of the funding it needs for its next five years of operations at a pledging summit in Brussels on 25 June,... READ FOR FREE
Vol 66 No 13 | ECONOMYAFRICABANKS Rulebook under pressure as Afreximbank slips a notch 27th June 2025 Fitch’s downgrade raises questions about risk perception and preferred creditor status – and has reignited calls for an African-owned rating agency Fitch Ratings downgraded the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) one notch to BBB- on 4 June, leaving the Cairo-based lender just above non-investment grade. The principal reason was a...
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 13 | AFRICAMIGRATION AU lawmakers draw up model migration law 23rd June 2025 The Pan-African Parliament hopes its example will encourage governments to protect migrants’ rights The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has moved closer to agreeing a model law to harmonise the treatment of migrants across the continent following three days of meetings in Nairobi... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 13 | AFRICADEBT Stiglitz panel calls for debt relief, as wealthy states block African UN plan 23rd June 2025 US aid cuts and tariffs increase need of African states to get a fairer deal on debt An expert panel chaired by Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has called for a new round of debt relief for African countries to prevent a ‘perfect storm’ of... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 13 | CHINAAFRICA China’s new trade offer exploits Washington’s tariffs on African economies 16th June 2025 Officials in Washington are mulling changes to the tariff policy ahead of a US-Africa business summit in September China continues to position itself as Africa’s most important economic partner after offering tariff-free trade to all 54 African countries, other than Eswatini, which recognises Taiwan’s sovereignty. READ FOR FREE
Vol 66 No 12 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONS As Trump turns off the tap, Guterres wields the knife 13th June 2025 The UN Secretary-General hopes radical restructuring and austerity can rescue the organisation as multilateralism starts to split at the seams Instead of celebrating its 80th birthday, there is a serious chance that the UN headquarters will have to declare a form of institutional bankruptcy at its General Assembly... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 12 | AFRICA China is seen as more reliable than the US in first Africa poll after Trump returns to Presidency 9th June 2025 Interviewees are frustrated with civilian governments but majority still favour democracy over military juntas Support for democracy across Africa appears is ebbing due to falling governance standards, according to a new annual survey covering 39 African states by the Accra-based think tank... READ FOR FREE