Sierra Leone’s parliament passed two new laws on August 8, 2022. Both laws specifically give rural landowners more rights to control their land against large mining and agricultural businesses. The new laws will force those working on another’s land or utilizing the land to compensate the landowners adequately. Currently, the landowners receive $2.50 per used acre, but the new laws allow for proper negotiation over pricing.
Sierra Leone’s Old Land Laws
Sierra Leone’s old land laws granted overarching power and decision-making of the land to the “paramount chiefs.” The chiefs are official authorities that receive their power from the Sierra Leone government and act as executors for the regions they serve. The chiefs can grant land rights to determine its value, and even the landowner cannot make decisions regarding the land without their chief’s consent.
Sierra Leone’s land laws have evolved, but the chief’s control over the leasing and usage of the land remained strong after the end of the Sierra Leone civil war in 2002. The war, which began over disputes about diamond mining by foreigners taking advantage of the local land and labor force, only strengthened the chief’s role. In the post-war era, the chiefs had more leeway with the actions they could take against land strangers or “non-natives.” Much of the descriptions on how to handle the non-natives came from the Land Ordinance Act of 1935.
The old land laws, while intended to assist the landowners, were outdated and due for an overhaul to provide economic relief and recognize the power of the rural landowners.
The Economic Strife of Sierra Leone’s Rural Population
Almost 70% of Sierra Leone’s population lives in rural or underdeveloped regions. Additionally, 53% of the population lives in poverty, making a scant $1.25 per day. The country is among the poorest in the world, ranking 181 out of 187 according to the Human Development Index report from 2019.
The primary impediment to potential earnings for local landowners was the governmental priority of international investment. The government struggled to counteract the damage of the civil war, but, in the meantime, other global investment companies increased their investment presence in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone’s international investors, such as the companies in the palm oil industry, were omnipresent in the rural areas. Unfortunately, the overall positive economic contributions to the region were minimal.
Sierra Leone’s old land laws allowed the international companies more control than the actual landowners. Once the non-native/international companies lease the land, the landowners do not have a say in the ongoing use of the land, and they cannot barter for more compensation. However, according to a 2009 policy document of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Farming, “Government will serve as an intermediary between the landowners/host communities and the foreign private investor. For that purpose, the Government will lease the land of interest to the foreign private investor from the landowners and, in turn, sub-lease it to the investor.”Although industries, like the palm oil industry, might have contributed some financial boosts, these industries have impacted the soil and land negatively enough that the land suffered soil erosion and environmental damage. Eroded soil may leave the owners unable to profit from the land once the previous companies have vacated.
Sierra Leone’s New Land Laws
Sierra Leone’s two new land laws are The Customary Land Rights Act and the Land Commission Act. The new laws provide proper fiscal compensation to farmers and landowners who are currently underpaid. The new income will give extra income to the landowners during the dry season when farmers cannot earn enough to support the owners. Sierra Leone’s agriculture accounts for half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more than 60% of the country’s labor force. Without them, the country’s economy will collapse. Additionally, the Sierra Leone economy will collapse if the government does not support the farmers and landowners.
Thankfully, the land ministers and parliament members expect Sierra Leone’s new land laws to promote peace and end conflicts over land usage against the landowner’s will, guaranteeing income and stability for the landowners and workers. The concerns of losing livelihoods due to international investors will slowly end because the locals will have input regarding who may use their land and for what purposes. The new laws will prevent violations of human rights and labor laws. All local workers will be legal, and the workers will receive fair compensation. Sierra Leone’s new land laws will end the fears of corruption that have plagued Sierra Leone’s rural areas for decades.
Sierra Leone’s new land laws benefit rural landowners in many ways. The land is officially theirs to decide what can happen on it and to it. What the value of their land is, is up to them. The landowners have the opportunity to barter for financial compensation that lifts their income above $1.25 per day. No international investor or non-native will come between economic freedom and Sierra Leone’s citizens with the enactment of Sierra Leone’s new land laws.
– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr
Fighting Guyana’s Mental Health Crisis
Guyana’s mental health crisis has plagued the nation for decades. In 2015 Guyana had a suicide rate of 44.2 per 100,000 people. This was far above the global average of 16 suicides per 100,000 people. This has been the case with Guyana for decades. A lack of mental health resources within the nation has perpetuated this cycle of ill mental health and suicide. Many have acknowledged that this dangerous phenomenon requires attention.
Mental Health and Suicide in Guyana
Guyana consistently ranks among the highest in the world for suicide rates. Suicide rates across the world have been decreasing but the Americas remains an anomaly in the trend. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Guyana has led the way when it comes to increasing suicide rates in the Americas. Guyana has the highest suicide rates in the Americas but this unfortunate status occurs among some groups within Guyana more often than others.
Guyana is an extremely ethnically and naturally diverse nation. The two largest ethnicities in Guyana are its Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese populations. About 40% of Guyana’s population is Indo-Guyanese and 29% is Afro-Guyanese. Other ethnicities include Chinese, Indigenous and mixed populations.
Despite Indo-Guyanese people making up less than half of Guyana’s population, they account for 80% of recorded suicides. The majority of those who commit suicide in the nation is between the ages of 15 to 34. Men are also four times more likely to commit suicide in Guyana than women. This means that young Indo-Guyanese men are more vulnerable to suicidality than other demographics in the nation.
Suicides in Guyana are also spatial uneven in their occurrence across the nation. About 70% of suicides in Guyana are in rural parts of the country. These are typically Extremely poor rural areas where low-income agricultural labor jobs are the predominant mode of employment for men. Women in these regions are typically stay-at-home mothers. Studies have begun to show that rural lifestyles have had a massive impact on suicidality in Guyana.
Identifying Root Causes
The conditions rural Indo-Guyanese residents have experienced have largely shaped Guyana’s mental health crisis. These rural regions are typically devoid of any mental health facilities or services. Many residents turn to substances such as alcohol to cope. Alcohol is comparatively easily available and thus a culture of drinking has developed in such regions. Some research has suggested that alcoholism is a leading factor in suicide.
Access to agricultural products in Guyana’s rural regions means that many locals use these products to poison themselves. Pesticide consumption is the most common method of suicide among Guyana’s rural residents. This evoked restrictions on the purchase of such pesticides. The effectiveness and feasibility of these restrictions have recently come into question.
Interventions and Outside Help
The severity of Guyana’s mental health crisis has created a sense of urgency. Many different entities have responded to this call to action. As of 2022, the Guyanese government has been discussing the prospects of decriminalizing suicide attempts. This may give suicidal individuals more confidence in seeking help.
De Montfort University has embarked on a research project to tackle Guyana’s mental health crisis. A team of researchers including Dr. Tania Hart are working with rural communities to increase mental health resilience. Participants in the community have received mental well-being resources and avenues through which to express mental discontent.
The U.S. has provided various forms of assistance to Guyana. Health is the one area that U.S. assistance under-serves. U.S. funding and intervention have funded initiatives to fight things such as HIV/AIDS and drug trafficking as well as youth engagement projects. The Americas Innovation Fund is one such initiative that has a particular focus on access to quality education. Given the success of previous U.S. initiatives in Guyana, there is great hope for the prospects of mental health funding.
A Brighter Future
Guyana’s mental health crisis is beginning to attract international collaboration. The Guyana Foundation has begun partnering with international organizations and NGOs. Those in the U.S. and Canada have been the focus of this outreach for support. Mental health facilities and suicide intervention programs are the main initiative recipients of funds. With the help of U.S agencies, Guyana could beat its mental health and Suicide crisis much in the way it has tackled HIV/AIDS and its drug trade.
– Bryce Mathurin Lindsay
Photo: Flickr
5 Charities Operating in India
Located in southern Asia, the country of India is among the most impoverished nations in the world, with a staggering 87.5% of Indian constituents making below $5.50 per day. Although these numbers are severe, in recent years there has been a notable decline in the poverty rate, and much of this has been possible through the aid of notable charities operating in India. Here is a list of five unique and impactful charities operating in India.
5 Charities Operating in India
Concluding Thoughts
With mission statements that address themes of sanitation poverty, period poverty, elder poverty and gender-based poverty, these charities are just five amongst the thousands of charities in India working towards decreasing the poverty trendline and promising a better tomorrow for impoverished Indians.
– Aarika Sharma
Photo: Flickr
How One Organization Aids the Deaf in Singapore
Hearing impairment worsens many of the challenges of everyday life, including for the deaf in Singapore. There are currently around 500,000 hearing impaired and deaf people within Singapore. This accounts for about 8.4% of the total population of 5.95 million people as of September 13, 2022.
The Singapore Association for the Deaf is a nonprofit that provides essential services to the hearing impaired. This nonprofit’s vision is “to be the leading (organization) in advocating equal opportunity, in all aspects, for the Deaf and Hard of hearing and supporting them to reach their full potential.” This organization originated in 1955 and provides support in many different forms. This support ultimately allows the deaf in Singapore to reach a comfortable level of success.
Schools
The Mayflower Primary School provides general education to hearing-impaired children. Two separate teachers who create lesson plans specially tailored to the deaf (one teacher is provided by the Singapore Association for the Deaf) lead each classroom. The lessons include the use of Singapore Sign Language to properly teach core subjects to the hearing impaired.
Upon graduation from Mayflower, students can transfer to Beatty Secondary School. This school provides similar services to Mayflower in terms of teaching the hearing impaired. Additionally, this school provides emotional support as well as aid with assistive devices to their students. Trained staff are provided to this school through the Singapore Association for the Deaf.
The Mountbatten Vocational School provides specific professional training to the deaf in Singapore. This school allows its students to obtain ITE certification (Institute for Technical Education) through a comprehensive two-year program. The program includes “electrical wiring,” “plumbing,” “residential air conditioning” and other forms of training.
Support Services for Students
Deaf students in Singapore are aided with adjustment into public schools through the Itinerant Support Service. Both the students and their families have involvement in this process to best accommodate the needs of the hearing impaired.
Social workers help the deaf and their families address issues such as “information and referral, case management, counseling, financial assistance and also make school visits.” Educational support is also provided to enhance skills related to core topics and in turn aid integration into public schools. Another form of support that aids with integration into public schools is speech therapy, where deaf students develop “listening and articulation skills.”
Services for the Deaf
The Singapore Association for the Deaf provides a variety of services to the hearing impaired in Singapore. The services are on the organization’s website.
Sign Language Coursework
Singapore Sign Language is a hybrid form of sign language that combines aspects of Shanghainese Sign Language, American Sign Language and other lesser-known forms of sign language. The Singapore Association for the Deaf provides coursework that occurs online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hearing Care
The hearing care center provides health care services related to hearing and the devices used to aid the hearing impaired. Every registered client at the Singapore Association for the Deaf has entitlement to one free hearing test per year. The organization also offers ear impressions/molds to provide clients with the proper assistive devices for their bodies.
The organization also provides free hearing aids to members of the organization. Additionally, the organization sells batteries and additional accessories for hearing aids. All of the aforementioned services are essential for the hearing impaired to live with relative normality among their peers.
Other Medical Assistance
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the prominence of telehealth services rose significantly. This was especially true in Singapore as the government distributed Ministry of Health phone numbers to access assistance and information about COVID-19. This proved unsatisfactory for the deaf in Singapore due to them being unable to talk over the telephone.
After some complaints, the Ministry of Health announced a partnership with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Singapore Association for the Deaf to create a more convenient solution. The organizations proceeded to create an SMS and email service as well as services for sign language interpretation. The programs allow the deaf in Singapore to receive accurate information about COVID-19 and respond accordingly.
The Singapore Association for the Deaf provides necessary aid and subsequently enables the hearing impaired through their various programs. This organization sets a strong precedent for other hearing-impaired organizations to follow.
– Max Cole
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
How India’s e-Commerce is Preparing For Next Busy Season
India’s e-commerce and retail companies are calling for more workers as they prepare for their next busy season. One of India’s online grocery companies, BigBasket, has increased its number of positions from only 500 to 2,200 from March to June 2022. BigBasket is seeking more employees to help the company reach 6,000 delivery workers by April 2023.
India’s E-Commerce Boom
India’s e-commerce began in 1995 and boomed in 2013 when Amazon first began operations in India. Amazon opened the doors for new e-markets and helped Indians explore new job possibilities. India’s e-commerce market’s job openings have grown exponentially as India’s internet penetration and cell phone usage have increased. With the growth of the e-commerce market in India, countless grocery e-commerce companies are seeking new employees to expand their reach and improve their economic foothold in India.
Without the hassle of traveling to the store, fighting crowds, and missing work, the e-commerce grocery options are incredibly appealing to consumers. Most of the major Indian grocery e-commerce companies promise delivery of 10 to 15 minutes, making them a very easy tool to use. The market value of e-commerce grocery stores reflects their consumer appeal and predicted value. Many economists expect the Indian e-commerce grocery market to have a market value worth $26.6 billion by 2027.
India’s Inflation and Economic Improvements
India’s job market hit a milestone, with unemployment dropping to 6.8%, dipping below 7% for the first time in half a year. The e-commerce job market in India has improved as unemployment rates decrease and job turnover eases, creating a stronger sense of job security nationwide.
India’s inflation rates have improved the state of the e-commerce market. Inflation rates have risen worldwide as the war in Ukraine continues. The war has slowed supply chains, halted transportation of essential goods, and, with sanctions against Russia, prices skyrocketed internationally. The soaring prices have caused inflation to rise, which has left many nations scrambling to slow interest rates domestically. India’s inflation rate hit 7.8%, an eight-year high for inflation in India, between May and June 2022 before the rate began decreasing to 6.7% as of August 2022. As unemployment rates decrease, so do poverty rates. Poverty rates have dropped 12 percentage points to 10.3% since 2011. India’s government slowed the rise in food and gas prices.
The slowed increase in prices has helped the government get a handle on the inflation rates, reducing the need for hiking commodity prices. As the interest rate lowers, so do the costs of retail items, specifically groceries. Reduced grocery prices will ease the economic burden and give consumers more faith in the reliability of the grocery markets. In preparation for the expected increase in demand for grocery delivery, e-commerce companies are looking for extra employees to fill the growing number of workers needed.
India’s Upcoming Busy Season
India’s busy season is its festive season from August to December. The festive season features months of extra events, family gatherings and increased funds circulating in the economy. In 2021, economists predicted the festival season would result in approximately $9.2 billion spent through e-commerce sites.
The COVID-19 pandemic convinced many to shop online for groceries, especially around the busy season. Many have appreciated the ease of using e-commerce for grocery shopping. It appears that the necessity for online grocery shopping in 2020 has left many in the habit of using companies, such as BigBasket to accomplish their grocery shopping needs.
India’s e-commerce is flexible for anyone seeking full or part-time work, and the jobs are spreading from the urban areas to India’s rural sectors. The significant companies expect increased demand for their delivery workers and retailers. They expect this demand to last, which will benefit India’s economy and population in both the long and short term.
Looking Ahead
In the short term, the jobs will result in extra money flowing into the economy and additional money in people’s pockets. In the long term, the jobs will provide more benefits than a small economic flow. The jobs will provide a secure income that empowers the poor beyond their bills. The certain income will keep job turnover low, saving companies money and allowing them to pay their employees higher wages. The higher wages and low turnover will, in the long term, create a noticeable difference in the economy and poverty and employment rates. The demand for India’s e-commerce shows that these jobs will be open and available. India’s e-commerce is a growing market that will remain strong for years to come.
– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr
5 Organizations Addressing Mental Health in Bhutan
Many often call Bhutan “The Happy Kingdom.” The reality, though, is that despite its renowned holistic development philosophy, it is struggling with a severe mental health crisis. Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death at a rate of one almost every 90 hours. However, luckily five organizations are addressing mental health in Bhutan to help alleviate them.
About Mental Health in Bhutan
Among its population of almost 780,000, in 2020, 6,858 cases of mental and behavioral disorders were on record. Meanwhile, infrastructure and licensed professionals are scarce. Only 100 beds exist in the 63 community-based psychiatric units around the country and there have only ever been four psychiatrists working there to date. This translates to roughly one psychiatrist for every 200,000 people, which is similar to Indonesia and India (0.6 psychiatrists per 200,000 people) compared to the United States (33 per 200,000).
Like much of the world, mental health services largely do not receive enough funding. Only 1% of Bhutan’s total health expenditure goes toward mental health. Superstitious and traditional beliefs that mental illness are due to black magic and curses still result in people turning to alternative practices and religious healing.
Addressing the acute need for more mental health professionals, services and infrastructure, these five organizations are at the forefront. Here are the five organizations addressing mental health in Bhutan.
5 Organizations Addressing Mental Health in Bhutan
The National Mental Health Program
In July 1997, the government launched its National Mental Health Program, to integrate mental health into general health care. Mental health personnel now receive training in public health care facilities, allowing patients to receive both mental and physical care within the same visit, reducing mental health stigma and building community awareness.
More recently, Her Majesty, The Queen Mother Sangay Choden Wangchuck, has vocalized the need to make mental health a national priority, pushing for more government initiatives to better Bhutan’s mental health services. Along with the country’s health ministry, these organizations light the path towards an increasingly healthy population.
– Serena Sahiba Singh
Photo: Unsplash
Peru’s Internet Revolution
Private Investments
The progress has been rapid through partnerships with other generous groups like IDB Group, CAF and even Facebook. Averaging 27 novel 4G connections a day, these organizers were able to provide 6 million Peruvians with a life-changing utility. However, they could not oversee Peru’s internet revolution overnight; rural operators had previously built a plethora of infrastructure since they were legally eligible to do business in 2015 but required more credit and assistance in conjunction with necessary maintenance to complete projects.
Benevolence like this has widespread implications. Children in Peru often had outdated information and studying material before they could utilize tablets and laptops, preventing them from being competitive in the international market. Having a population well-versed in the intricacies of today would grant this mountainous state more clout within the international community, allowing future domestic producers to be fully aware of problems and the alternative solutions necessary to ensure industries at home can flourish.
The Effect on the Economy
The Work of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and PROMPERU
Peru has started to look beyond its borders with its newfound web access. Groups like the Ministry of Foreign Trade for Peru and PROMPERU have manufactured online marketplaces that highlight local and cultural commodities. This innovation will open up various small businesses to a consumer base they could only dream of having. The magnitude of Peru’s internet revolution is even uncommon in the developed world, let alone in a nation that has struggled to become connected to the internet for decades.
Considering that in 2011, the percentage of impoverished Peruvians was a whopping 29.5% and that by 2019, this figure had significantly cooled down to 20.6%, it implies that there is certainly a lot to celebrate in the case of this novel internet connection. While poverty had been falling substantially in Peru since 2005 (when over half of the state was in economic hardship), the significant dip between 2017 (24.10%) and 2019 (20.6%) after a leveling out post-2015 reiterates the point that investments in the web are not without consequence. In recent years, the commitment to rural outreach has only continued to foster the positives of Peru’s internet revolution.
Looking Ahead for Peru
– Jacob Lawhern
Photo: Flickr
Presidential Policies to Reduce Poverty in Mexico
Poverty in Mexico
In 2022, about 44% of Mexico’s population lives in poverty, according to the most recent government data. Excluding the negative effects the coronavirus had on economies across the globe, there are three main causes of mass poverty in Mexico:
López Obrador’s Domestic Policies
In a radical move to change the status quo of policies to reduce poverty in Mexico, soon after assuming office, López Obrador ceased almost all existing welfare programs in the country in favor of a system reminiscent of a universal basic income, where residents received non-need-based cash.
Economists held concerns that the erasure of programs with need-based criteria would result in people not receiving enough benefits. These concerns held weight — For the government to afford to give out cash to all citizens, López Obrador had to cancel the two-decade-long Prospera program. The program “gave cash to mothers living in poverty in exchange for them keeping their children in school and taking them for regular medical checkups.” The program received praise for its success, on an international level.
In 2020, López Obrador transitioned Mexico to remote schooling after the coronavirus hit. Shortly after the implementation of programs such as Aprende en Casa (Learn at Home), which entailed receiving educational content through television and the internet, inequalities became apparent. Especially in rural areas, the inability to connect to the internet meant that rural children could not access the program.
International Policies
In 2021, López Obrador gave a speech to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) proposing a global poverty reduction program where the globe’s 1,000 wealthiest people and corporations would donate 4% of their wealth and G20 countries would donate 0.2% of their GDPs.
In 2021, almost 700 million people lived in extreme poverty across the world, according to Development Initiatives. López Obrador said that his plan could produce around $1 trillion annually to fight global poverty. U.N. members will debate his proposal before deciding on its direction, but some leaders have already come out in support.
Future of Policies
Half of his presidential term remains, and despite growing poverty rates amid his policies to reduce poverty in Mexico, López Obrador is still popular, with a 62% approval rating. Economists suggest that if López Obrador implements successful policies to reduce poverty in Mexico, he will be more reputable on a global scale and in debates over his U.N. proposal.
There is Hope
Others have stepped up to fight poverty, even though policies to reduce poverty in Mexico have had mixed results. One organization stepping up to the plate is Save the Children, a worldwide charity foundation that aids the most vulnerable group living in poverty — children. Since 2000, in Mexico, Save the Children has helped to reduce the prevalence of child labor by 80%. In 2021 alone, Save the Children provided assistance to more than 95,000 children. In Mexico, the organization’s work over the past two decades includes ensuring the health and nourishment of 28,000 children, educating and empowering 19,000 children and taking 3,000 children out of the grips of poverty. Save the Children collaborates with local organizations in Mexico and foundations in the U.S. to help more impoverished children in Mexico each year.
With effective policies to reduce poverty, Mexico’s citizens can live a better quality of life. But, in the meanwhile, organizations are stepping in to assist Mexico’s most vulnerable.
– Delaney Murray
Photo: WikiCommons
Siege of Cartels: The Effects of Organized Crime in Mexico
Recent Waves of Violence
On August 17, 2022, the U.S. Department of State issued travel warnings for several Mexican cities as intense waves of cartel-related violence erupted across several cities during the second week of August. The outbreak of cartel brutality began on August 9 in the cities of Jalisco and Guanajuato when Mexican authorities apprehended a leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In response, gang members retaliated, setting the cities into anarchy by setting cars and businesses ablaze.
Another incident occurred on August 11, in Ciudad Juárez when a prison encounter between two rival gangs, Los Chapos and Los Mexicles, escalated into widespread chaos. The disorder poured into the city where members of Los Mexicles went on to assault nearby civilians and scorch local establishments leaving 11 dead. The following day, the border city of Tijuana witnessed an influx of approximately 30 vehicles set on fire and blockades along highways by the CJNG.
Poverty as a Recruitment Tool for Organized Crime Groups
The Mexican government has been waging war on organized crime since 2006. The long and costly history of this struggle against cartels has affected thousands of Mexican citizens. Mexican cartels have become one of the leading drug traffickers of cocaine, marijuana and other illicit substances in the United States. It is their activities that place cartels and organized crime as a security risk.
Viewing organized crime in Mexico solely as a national security risk overlooks underlying factors that contribute to the cartel’s strength and overall growth. Many scholars and analysts view the gang “phenomenon” as incredibly diverse, with growing numbers rooted in exploiting vulnerable members of society including Mexican youth.
In an analysis conducted to understand youth-related crime groups, the groups are defined as impromptu attempts by adolescents to establish an environment that better suits their needs where “they can exercise the rights that their families, government and communities do not offer them.” At the root of this analysis is the recognition of youth poverty in Mexico. Adolescent boys take matters into their own hands to alleviate the dire symptoms of poverty. In doing so, they further alienate themselves from society and find themselves in a cycle of social exclusion from poverty and further marginalization from an affiliation with cartels.
Nearly half of Mexican youth under the age of 20 are poor. Among those living in poverty, approximately 76% experience social exclusion. While Mexico is a steadily growing economic state, poverty remains a core disparity. Symptoms of poverty in Mexico include inaccessibility to education, health care, food security and housing. While social stigmas about gangs exist, when facing adversities from such a young and vulnerable age, cartels entice youth populations as a remedy to their dire socio-economic situations.
Organized crime in Mexico affects impoverished youth and the lives of citizens. Local cartels in Mexico and greater Latin America extort communities and businesses, further hindering economic opportunities for vulnerable members of society. Policies centered on the socio-economic foundations of cartel culture are crucial to mitigating organized crime-related violence and overall activity.
Government Response and Efforts
In 2008, Mexican authorities, in coordination with the U.S. government, enacted the Merida Initiative, a program that recognizes the dual responsibility of the two states to counter organized crime in Mexico. The initiative operates on four primary objectives.
The Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA or CEPAL) operates alongside other Latin American nations to build effective and sustainable socio-economic progress. Further investments in solid educational institutions, awareness programs from ex-gang members, professional development resources, rehabilitation programs and counseling services are vital preliminary steps to reducing overall involvement in cartels.
With the help of the U.S. government and non-state actors, continue its efforts to reduce organized crime in Mexico and improve the livelihoods of its citizens.
– Ricardo Silva
Photo: Unsplash
Botswana’s New Role as An Oil Provider
Botswana’s economy is a diamond-centered market where mineral mining and diamond exports provide the driving monetary source for its governmental stability and current projections to become a high-income country by 2036. However, due to the lack of diversity in its exports, Botswana’s economy is susceptible to the volatility of the COVID-19 pandemic, diminishing returns from mining and inequality. As a result, Botswana’s new role as a coal provider will seek to diversify its economy and keep on track to becoming a high-income nation.
Context
Due to the Russia-Ukraine War, many European countries are looking to reduce their oil and gas dependence on Russian exports. As European countries look to the continent of Africa as a whole, President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi is in talks with European government heads and private sectors to increase its coal production in the near future. Though Botswana has a limited supply of coal, alongside a concern to keep in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, Mineral Resources Minister Lefoko Moagi hopes to get the country supplying as much as 1 million tonnes a year according to Reuters. These goals may seem daunting and difficult to balance, but Botswana has already taken steps to ensure the production of more coal while diversifying its economy’s future.
New Sources of Energy
According to Reuters, Botswana is currently fielding offers from various Independent Power Producers to provide a 200 Megawatt center to be in commission in 2026 or 2027, which is part of Botswana’s larger goal of 18% of national energy production by renewable sources by 2030. With further projects on the agenda, renewable solar energy will provide a large chunk of the diversification of Botswana’s new role as an energy provider. The spur of renewable energy should supplement or eventually replace coal, as Botswana’s government-run coal power plants are currently meeting most of the country’s energy needs. The long-term plan is to increase its renewable energy sources as its exports of coal increase, diminishing its own reliance on coal.
Other Developments
Botswana’s new role in providing coal to European nations provides the revenue needed for its eventual economic diversification. In addition, other developments as listed by the World Bank are currently shaping the broader network of support and infrastructure for future dependence on renewable energy. Chiefly among these is the Programmatic Economic Resilience and Green Recovery Development Policy Loan I (DPO) worth up to $250 million which supports the Botswana government’s response to COVID-19, and assists in private and green economic development.
Additionally, there is the Emergency Water Security and Efficiency Project ($145.5 million) which increases water access and decreases drought risk, the Integrated Transport Project ($186 million) which increases public transport and Roadmap for Sustainable Livestock Value Chain in Southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia and Eswatini. This development enhances sustainable livestock practices and provides analysis for further policy and market practices. In addition, to ensure a balance between private industry and state-run energy, the Country Private Sector Diagnostic looks for opportunists for private growth as well as constraints in the water energy and tourism sectors specifically.
Conclusion
Though a lot of work is necessary, Botswana’s new role as a coal provider to other countries provides an opportunity for it to build off of its diamond-centered economy and diversify into a sound high-income state with a mix of renewable state-owned and private energy enterprises. Despite the volatility of the COVID-19 pandemic and the mineral-dependent economy, Botswana has hope for a rising diversified economy.
– Albert Vargas
Photo: Flickr
Sierra Leone’s New Land Laws Support Rural Landowners and Women
Sierra Leone’s parliament passed two new laws on August 8, 2022. Both laws specifically give rural landowners more rights to control their land against large mining and agricultural businesses. The new laws will force those working on another’s land or utilizing the land to compensate the landowners adequately. Currently, the landowners receive $2.50 per used acre, but the new laws allow for proper negotiation over pricing.
Sierra Leone’s Old Land Laws
Sierra Leone’s old land laws granted overarching power and decision-making of the land to the “paramount chiefs.” The chiefs are official authorities that receive their power from the Sierra Leone government and act as executors for the regions they serve. The chiefs can grant land rights to determine its value, and even the landowner cannot make decisions regarding the land without their chief’s consent.
Sierra Leone’s land laws have evolved, but the chief’s control over the leasing and usage of the land remained strong after the end of the Sierra Leone civil war in 2002. The war, which began over disputes about diamond mining by foreigners taking advantage of the local land and labor force, only strengthened the chief’s role. In the post-war era, the chiefs had more leeway with the actions they could take against land strangers or “non-natives.” Much of the descriptions on how to handle the non-natives came from the Land Ordinance Act of 1935.
The old land laws, while intended to assist the landowners, were outdated and due for an overhaul to provide economic relief and recognize the power of the rural landowners.
The Economic Strife of Sierra Leone’s Rural Population
Almost 70% of Sierra Leone’s population lives in rural or underdeveloped regions. Additionally, 53% of the population lives in poverty, making a scant $1.25 per day. The country is among the poorest in the world, ranking 181 out of 187 according to the Human Development Index report from 2019.
The primary impediment to potential earnings for local landowners was the governmental priority of international investment. The government struggled to counteract the damage of the civil war, but, in the meantime, other global investment companies increased their investment presence in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone’s international investors, such as the companies in the palm oil industry, were omnipresent in the rural areas. Unfortunately, the overall positive economic contributions to the region were minimal.
Sierra Leone’s old land laws allowed the international companies more control than the actual landowners. Once the non-native/international companies lease the land, the landowners do not have a say in the ongoing use of the land, and they cannot barter for more compensation. However, according to a 2009 policy document of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Farming, “Government will serve as an intermediary between the landowners/host communities and the foreign private investor. For that purpose, the Government will lease the land of interest to the foreign private investor from the landowners and, in turn, sub-lease it to the investor.”Although industries, like the palm oil industry, might have contributed some financial boosts, these industries have impacted the soil and land negatively enough that the land suffered soil erosion and environmental damage. Eroded soil may leave the owners unable to profit from the land once the previous companies have vacated.
Sierra Leone’s New Land Laws
Sierra Leone’s two new land laws are The Customary Land Rights Act and the Land Commission Act. The new laws provide proper fiscal compensation to farmers and landowners who are currently underpaid. The new income will give extra income to the landowners during the dry season when farmers cannot earn enough to support the owners. Sierra Leone’s agriculture accounts for half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more than 60% of the country’s labor force. Without them, the country’s economy will collapse. Additionally, the Sierra Leone economy will collapse if the government does not support the farmers and landowners.
Thankfully, the land ministers and parliament members expect Sierra Leone’s new land laws to promote peace and end conflicts over land usage against the landowner’s will, guaranteeing income and stability for the landowners and workers. The concerns of losing livelihoods due to international investors will slowly end because the locals will have input regarding who may use their land and for what purposes. The new laws will prevent violations of human rights and labor laws. All local workers will be legal, and the workers will receive fair compensation. Sierra Leone’s new land laws will end the fears of corruption that have plagued Sierra Leone’s rural areas for decades.
Sierra Leone’s new land laws benefit rural landowners in many ways. The land is officially theirs to decide what can happen on it and to it. What the value of their land is, is up to them. The landowners have the opportunity to barter for financial compensation that lifts their income above $1.25 per day. No international investor or non-native will come between economic freedom and Sierra Leone’s citizens with the enactment of Sierra Leone’s new land laws.
– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr