In Africa, commercial activities are the largest component of illicit financial flows. This is followed by organised crime and then public sector corruption.
Nigeria has imposed massive fines on two large multinational corporations. The fines have one thing in common – the seeming lackadaisical attitude to regulation and regulators.
Popular African musician Papa Wemba, who died recently, has been close to the heartbeat of the continent’s music. His influence will continue long after his death.
Africa needs to navigate the difficult economic waters that lie ahead without undoing the gains of the past two decades. Success will require difficult political choices.
Utopianism is a neglected prism through which to view Africa. It is the space where the intricacies of decolonisation and independence can be properly comprehended.
The Good African Society Index provides a comparative measure of the quality of society in African states. Governments could use its findings to make targeted policy interventions.
Robin Kelley, University of California, Los Angeles
It took ages for one of African jazz’s hidden masterpieces to be reissued. Still today, four decades later, 1976’s ‘African Songbird’ tells volumes about the politics of the time.
A classical political science debate focuses on whether democracy is dependent on development. The director of the Electoral Integrity Project revisits the issue using new data from African elections.
In the words of US President Obama: Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. In this light, the South African president’s acceptance of a court ruling against him is a good thing.
Anthropologue et démographe, professeur émérite au Muséum national d’histoire naturelle et conseiller de la direction de l'INED, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (MNHN)