The continent of Africa makes enough food to feed its entire population. However, there are still plenty of citizens who go to bed hungry and live in poverty. Due to the general struggle of exporting goods, Africa can barely get its products out to other countries, much less within the region, because goods cost much more than they normally would. However, there are organizations, such as USAID and legislation such as the African Free Continental Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) that are working on reducing trade tariffs and increasing trade within Africa.
Terrifying Tariffs
Africa’s infrastructure was designed to send out goods and other resources to other areas in the world, not for trading within the region. This dilemma has created many roadblocks to trading across borders. One of these is that the price of trading outside the continent has risen dramatically. Specifically, “the cost of goods in the region is nearly 40% above retail because it costs that much to get it to consumers,” according to USAID.
Trade within the region of Africa only makes up 13% of the total. According to USAID, the continent drags behind other global superpowers in trade. In fact, Asia is responsible for 40% of trade in the region, the EU is responsible for 60% of trade and North America has 31% of total trade.
Fighting the Good Fight
Food insecurity is one of the most significant impediments to economic prosperity in Africa and the result of a lack of increasing trade within Africa. More than 27 million people in the region are still food insecure and require assistance, amounting to a 39% increase since 2016.
However, USAID is working with the government in Africa and private sector organizations on reducing the costs of doing business, and increasing trade within Africa. USAID Trade and Investment Hubs are working to improve the opportunities for investment. “For every $1 of public money spent, the hubs leverage $9 in private sector investment.”
There are other solutions too. Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which reduced both the cost of importing/exporting goods by half, Africa has begun back-and-forth trade with the U.S. Over 10 years later, “U.S. businesses have exported $37 billion worth of goods to East Africa,” USAID reported.
Another effort toward increasing trade in Africa is the African Continental Free Trade Agreement Area Agreement, (AfCFTA), “a landmark trade agreement,” signed in 2018.
The AfCFTA, An Overview
The AfCTFA pressures countries to remove tariffs on 90% of goods and will create a market that has, “over a billion consumers” and a total GDP of more than $3 trillion, according to a Brookings report. This would make Africa “the largest free trade area in the world.”
Thanks to the fact that the AfCFTA has been increasing trade within Africa, the number of goods trading within the region has increased from around 10% in 1995 to about 17%. However, as stated before, the region’s total trade with itself still remains low compared to other global superpowers such as Europe, Asia and North America.
However, according to the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the AfCFTA will increase the number of agricultural products traded within the country by 20 to 30%. By accepting the agreement, state revenue, income for farmers, and investments in modern agricultural practices will increase. ECA wrote a report on the AfCFTA and explained that “the AfCFTA potentially embodies a ‘win-win’ approach such that all countries across Africa and vulnerable communities within these countries receive benefits from the agreement,” according to a Brookings report.
A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report in 2021 showed that Africa’s, “untapped export potential amounts to $21.9 billion, equivalent to 43% of intra-African exports.”
Due to COVID-19, the date of free trade in Africa pushed back to January 1, 2021. Just a month before free trade was supposed to begin, an African coffee and cocoa merchant named Meron Dagnew visited the AfCFTA Secretariat in February 2020. “I am hoping to not pay as much as 35% tariffs on my goods… I could then make a profit, expand my business and hire more people,” she said.
The lack of modern transportation systems holds back traders like Dagnew to ship their goods. According to Africa Renewal, “African countries could rake in $20 billion yearly by simply tackling non-tariff barriers that slow the movement of goods.”
There are plenty of blockades to increasing trade within Africa, such as tariffs, food insecurity and a lack of modern agricultural practices. However, thanks to the help of organizations such as USAID, and legislation such as the African Free Continental Trade Agreement, Africa is slowly making their way towards being able to provide for each and every citizen and promote growth within the region’s hard-working traders.
– Henry Hyman
Photo: Flickr
Women Entrepreneurs in South Asia
The COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed significant growth in global e-commerce sales. As a result of pandemic regulations, such as lockdown, social distancing and the enclosure of in-person workspaces, people are becoming increasingly reliant on digital technologies and businesses. In fact, retail e-commerce sales surged to approximately $4.9 trillion in 2021 worldwide. Projections have stated that this figure could increase to $7.4 trillion by 2025. The boom in e-commerce has been particularly salient in South Asia, where the e-commerce sector saw nearly 600% growth. Such conditions gave many entrepreneurs unprecedented opportunities. Most notably, women entrepreneurs in South Asia have used these opportunities to not only realize their own visions but also to educate and inspire others to create tangible change. The following are three women entrepreneurs in South Asia proactively giving back to their communities:
Maheen Adamjee
Maheen Adamjee is the founder of Dot & Line, an education startup originally set to provide at-home tutoring to Pakistani students. As the pandemic hit, however, Adamjee saw the opportunity in e-learning and rewrote the startup’s business plan to offer online tutoring sessions. Dot & Line is now a successful international online learning platform that matches students with certified tutors.
Adamjee exemplifies entrepreneurial creativity and resilience, turning the COVID-19 pandemic from a risk factor into a business opportunity. She has since participated in #OneSouthAsia Conversation, a series of online events that offer a platform for discussing ideas for regional cooperation in business, and reached more than 5,000 women through this medium. During these conferences, Adamjee shared many practical tips she extrapolated from her own experience, including specificities on transitioning from in-person services to online services.
She further noted the cultural and financial barriers that prevent Pakistani women from starting a business. In addition to telling her story as a source of empowerment for other women entrepreneurs, Adamjee pointed out that the digital economy allows women to overcome tariffs and trade barriers to exploit new consumer groups across national boundaries.
Ayanthi Gurusinghe
Ayanthi Gurusinghe is the founder of Cord360.com, a B2B platform enabling small buyers and sellers of a variety of products to connect with each other, according to the World Bank. Gurusinghe, like Adamjee, identified the rapid growth of e-commerce as an unparalleled opportunity for trading across borders.
Hoping to help other women take advantage of this opportunity, Gurusinghe launched training courses on Cord360.com to educate enterprising women business owners about international markets. This way, she is encouraging more women to trade products across Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.
Sairee Chahal
Sairee Chahal is the founder of SHEROES, an online community for women that offers career advice, job leads, training, legal advice and a free counseling hotline based in Bangladesh and India. The community operates in Bangladesh and India, among other countries. The site experienced enormous success during the pandemic, with its membership increasing from 16 million to 22 million.
Chahal also participated in the #OneSouthAsia Conversation series. During the conference, she noted the policy changes that needed to occur to support and empower women entrepreneurs. Not only would this be beneficial for the women business owners, but this would also offer enormous economic growth for the countries in question. In particular, Chahal noted that the government ought to reform discriminatory laws and policies, provide funding targeted toward women-owned businesses and create school textbooks that show women in a variety of careers.
In addition to using these women’s stories as inspiration for more women to tap into the world of e-commerce, the above-mentioned women entrepreneurs in South Asia are acting to create tangible change in their communities, whether by advocating for policy change in regional conferences or providing free guidance through their business platforms. Through their efforts, as well as the efforts of many other similar-minded businesswomen, the pandemic-induced boom in the digital economy could significantly increase women’s access to the business sector in South Asia.
– Emily Xin
Photo: Flickr
Ending Malaria and NTDs by 2030
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020, there were approximately 241 million malaria cases globally. The African region accounted for 95% of the cases and 96% of the deaths. However, governments and other organizations, and companies have recently pledged to end malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by 2030.
Historic Kigali Summit
On June 23, global leaders led by Rwanda President Paul Kagame convened at the Kigali Summit on malaria and neglected tropical diseases. This historic summit was the first to discuss these diseases in Africa. Members of the summit convened to discuss and introduce solutions and strategies to end malaria and neglected tropical diseases by 2030. The summit caused governments, companies, organizations, philanthropists and others in the private sector to commit more than $4 billion. Countries that these diseases affected donated more than $2.2 billion. Supporters similar to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Pfizer pledged a combined donation of more than one billion dollars to the cause. Additionally, pharmaceutical companies donated 18 billion medicine tablets to prevent and treat neglected tropical diseases.
The attendees highlighted specific goals to achieve to follow WHO’s global malaria strategy for 2016 to 2030. Some of the goals to reach completion by 2030 include:
Past Progress in Ending Malaria and NTDs
In the past, governments and other organizations have been working hard to end malaria and neglected tropical diseases. With the increase in government funding and access to treatment, malaria and neglected tropical diseases cases have decreased.
Here are a few achievements:
Impact of Kigali Summit
While malaria and NTD cases have decreased since 2020, there is still a long way to go. The 2022 Global Malaria Action Plan by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, a group of more than 500 organizations dedicated to ending malaria, emphasizes that 3.3 billion people in 109 countries are at risk of malaria. Each year, 185,000 people die because of an NTD. However, the Kigali Summit provides greater opportunities for treatment and preventative measures to fight these two deadly diseases for people worldwide, impacting billions of people.
The summit also demonstrates the cooperation of countries, organizations, and others and their dedication toward one goal. Because of the African leaders’ persistence through the COVID-19 crisis, they were able to secure high-level commitments of billions of dollars. The world is one step closer to the goal to end malaria and neglected tropical diseases by 2030.
Looking Ahead
Malaria and NTDs have affected billions of people across many countries worldwide. The dedication from governments, organizations and members of the private sector indicates a different future, one free of these deadly diseases. At the Kigali Summit, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that “…we have the tools and the strategy to prevent that – and, with new tools, to start to dream of a malaria-free-world.”
– Janae O’Connell
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Effects of Water Pollution in Egypt
Since the days of the pharaoh, the Nile River has long served as the heart of the Egyptian community and provided 97% of the country’s water. However, currently, the Nile River is in a dire state due to massive strain from pollution and changing weather patterns. Being the lifeline of the nation, the state of the Nile River is not only symbolic of the current state of Egypt but all the water supply that runs through the city. The effects of water pollution in Egypt are now impacting the entire country and making it harder to access clean water.
Water Pollution in Egypt
To call the effects of water pollution in Egypt pernicious is an understatement, as the country has continued its struggle to access clean water. Being that most of Egypt depends on the Nile as its source of water, the fact that the river is being continuously contaminated with overwhelming amounts of items such as discharge, toxic chemicals, fertilizer residue, radioactive waste and oil pollution is truly horrific and dangerously deadly.
Another large cause of pollution in the water of Egypt can relate to certain Egyptian traditions. These customs include ridding their waste by casting it into the river while bathing and cleaning their animals in this same river water. These effects lead to mass breakouts of diseases, such as schistosomes, according to Save The Water.
In northern parts of Egypt, many citizens gain their water access from the Mediterranean Sea. However, according to Dr. Abu Alaa Abdel Moneim in his studies on the Mediterranean Sea, “720,000,000 tons of sewage, 142,000 tons of mineral oil, 66,000 tons of mercury, 4,200 tons of lead and 40,000 tons of phosphates” all end up in the sea, Save The Water reported. People then use this water for drinking and other daily activities, which can lead to illness, diseases and even death.
Facing Water Deficit
Another issue that plagues Egypt is its lack of rainfall. On average, Egypt receives less than 80 mm of rainfall a year and only 6% of the country is arable and agricultural land, with the rest being desert. The effect of this is large water wastage such as an outdated method of irrigation where farmers pump gallons of water over the crops.
The largest effect of water pollution in Egypt is the scarcity of water that it leads to. According to the 2021 UNICEF report, “Egypt is facing an annual water deficit of around 7 billion cubic meters to the mass pollution of Egypt’s water sources.” Later in the analysis, UNICEF stated that according to its projections, it is highly possible that the country could run out of clean water entirely by 2025. This would affect 1.8 billion people worldwide, who will be living in complete water scarcity.
Reaching a Stage of Water Poverty
In January 2022, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared that his beloved nation “has reached a stage of water poverty.” According to Mohamed Nasr al-Din Allam, who is a former Egyptian irrigation minister, “Water poverty, as defined by the World Bank, is when a country’s renewable internal freshwater resources per capita are less than 1,000 cubic meters annually.” This is the bare minimum to successfully meet the people’s needs for water and food. It has not been since 1991 that Egypt reported living with less than the minimum water share.
Although the current effects of water pollution in Egypt are dier, there are possible solutions that the government is implementing and are in place to assist the citizens. In August 2021, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation revealed a four-step plan, which could assist in reducing the water crisis. The four-pronged strategy extends until 2050, with promises made to solve all water-related problems and effects of water pollution in Egypt, Al-Monitor reported.
With this plan in place, the water which flows through the Nile River appears a little clearer and the citizens of Egypt could soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief as well as drink a clean glass of water.
– Austin Hughes
Photo: Flickr
How Japan Became Impoverished
As the world’s third-largest economy, many have long viewed Japan as an economic and global powerhouse. However, Japan has faced an increasing poverty level for the better part of the last two decades. According to the latest study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Japan’s poverty rate currently stands at 15.7%. Here is some information about how Japan become impoverished.
Japan’s Lifetime Employment System
The determining factor of income distribution has long been Japan’s lifetime employment system. This system has been around for decades; Japan implemented it during the large growth periods the country experienced during the 1950s and 1960s. Established companies for regular or seishain employees mostly practice the lifetime employment system. The system’s focus is on three primary pillars. The pillars include an “implicit guarantee” to take care of regular employees until retirement, wages that seniority dictates and company-based labor unions for regular employees.
However, 37% of the country’s labor force are nonregular employees and the employees have revolted against this system in recent years. Non-regular employees receive less pay and do not receive the same level of benefits that their regularly employed colleagues receive. Another key aspect of this argument is that increased flexibility to hire and fire employees will increase economic efficiency.
The Outlook and Shift of Japan’s Lifetime Employment System
The fact that numerous companies have converted regular workers to non-regular, part-time employment has also affected the outlook of the lifetime employment system. At the same time, a large portion of available jobs remains non-regular. Within the last few decades, companies that routinely hired 20 to 30-lifetime employees a year, now only hire two or three new employees each year. This new process has contributed significantly to how Japan became impoverished.
One can largely attribute this shift to two major occurrences. The first occurrence involves emerging-market economies such as China, where labor costs are lower. The second is the increase in part-time workers, especially women who need work and may not be able to commit full-time due to childcare duties and seniors who aren’t able to enjoy retirement due to their pension benefits not covering living expenses.
The Lack of Bankruptcy Procedures in Japan
Oxford Head of Japanese Economics, Shigeto Nagai stated how Japan also lacks Chapter 11 or a similar bankruptcy procedure that could possibly give those who fail another chance. This leads to an overwhelming fear in citizens of Japan, which prevents the citizens from seeking change due to the absence of the program. The addition of this program could significantly help those in need and eliminate the underlying fear that exists.
Although no current implications are in place, certain companies are taking action into their own hands to possibly eradicate the issue. A number of companies have started adopting a variety of incentive plans including performance bonuses, share options, profit-sharing schemes and employee stock ownership plans. While this is not the end-all-be-all solution, it is a start toward reaching the proper employee benefit programs that are at the center of the cause of how Japan became impoverished.
Similar factors and the revolution of such a large part of the labor force against Japan’s long-established system have led to the disappearance of the middle class. Nagai also stated that “Income has declined across the income percentiles, and the share of low-income households has risen as those of middle- and high-income groups shrink.” The Economics Head further stated his concerns, stating that Japan’s middle class is gradually disappearing.
Nagai feels that the only way to save the Japanese economy is to create a more dynamic human resource allocation. The static allocation of human resources has greatly affected how Japan has become impoverished and the country’s best efforts to eliminate the deflationary equilibrium or the lifetime labor force.
Looking Ahead
Despite recent trends, there are a lot of changes underway to relieve Japan of its impoverished struggle. Labor shortages have led to employers raising salaries, which has attracted many younger, potential employees. Numerous Chinese startup companies have created employment opportunities which a substantial amount of young talent and many regular employees of larger corporations are quitting jobs early in their careers to seek opportunities elsewhere.
With the recent developments, the nation of Japan is closer to being the economic powerhouse that it has historically been for decades and its citizens once again have a fair chance at earning a living.
– Austin Hughes
Photo: Flickr
Switzerland’s Foreign Aid for Ukraine
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) provides the basis of Switzerland’s foreign aid strategy. The country’s Foreign Policy Strategy 2020-23 focuses on building “peace and security, prosperity, sustainability and digitalization.”
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Switzerland’s foreign aid to Ukraine will double by the end of 2023 to $104 million. Switzerland’s support of Ukraine coincides with its foreign aid strategy to build peace and security for people around the world.
Peace and Security
According to a press release from January 2020, the FDFA approved Switzerland’s foreign aid strategy to construct a world safe for everyone to live in and prosper. “In the spirit of cooperation with other countries, Switzerland is committed to working towards a safe and peaceful world where everyone can live free from want and fear, have their human rights protected and enjoy economic prosperity,” FDFA stated on its website.
Accordingly, Switzerland’s candidacy on the U.N. Security Council in 2023-24 will advance Switzerland’s foreign aid globally but especially to Ukraine. Switzerland’s temporary seat will begin in January 2023 through December 2024 and during those two years, Switzerland will “intensify their work towards a peaceful international order,” according to the FDFA.
Foreign Aid to Ukraine
In July 2022, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis announced that Switzerland’s foreign aid will double in Ukraine. He pledged approximately $104 million to Ukraine for reconstruction. According to Cassis, “Ukraine has to lead its reconstruction, but we have to support it,” Swissinfo reported.
Cassis also announced that Switzerland will continue to support organizations operating in Ukraine. He said that “Multilateral efforts are ‘an antidote to the use of force’.” However, Switzerland remains open to peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Protection for Ukrainian Refugees
In March 2022, the Swiss government decided to grant protection to Ukrainian refugees. Protection will extend to any Ukrainian citizen or resident of Ukraine. It also includes people whom the Ukrainian government granted protection before February 2022.
This protection, or Permit S, is a temporary measure “to persons in need of protection as long as they are exposed to a serious general danger, in particular during a war or civil war as well as in situations of general violence” (Asylum Act §§ 4, 66, para. 2.). Permit S is valid for one year. However, it may extend to five years, depending on the length of the ongoing war.
The Bid to Seize Russian Assets
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the Swiss government to freeze their Russian oligarch’s assets. The U.S. House of Representatives urged President Joe Biden to use the funds from the Russian assets to support military and humanitarian aid.
Switzerland froze the Russian oligarch’s assets. However, it has yet to announce any intention to take control of the funds and use them for Switzerland’s foreign aid in Ukraine. Cassis said, “This is a global question and Switzerland will announce its position at the appropriate time.”
Switzerland has always valued peace and it strives to create a peaceful world. Its temporary seat on the U.N. Council could further implement its foreign aid policy to create a secure and safe world for all people to live in. With the ongoing war in Ukraine, Switzerland’s foreign aid strategy to support Ukraine provides hope for the Ukrainian citizens and the world that Switzerland’s value for peace will be one of their top priorities.
– Chris Karenbauer
Photo: Flickr
Cashew Crops to Fight Drought in Honduras
In El Triunfo, a small town located in Honduras, many farmers have battled food insecurity and poverty by pivoting to growing cashew trees. Worsening climate conditions have created a continuing drought in Honduras and cashews have become a way for some to adapt their crops to deal with the changing land.
Drought in Honduras
In September 2019, the drought in Honduras became so severe that the government declared a national state of emergency, a drought that had been going on for five years already at that point.
The traditional crops of maize and beans do not stand up well to the changing climate. According to Reuters, drought destroyed up to 80% of crops by 2019 in some regions. The lack of crop diversity is additional harm, as corn, in particular, can deplete essential nutrients from the soil.
Every year, the drought has more of an impact, as stocks deplete and the soil becomes worse. It eventually becomes difficult for farmers to recoup their losses.
The Dry Corridor is a stretch of land in Central America running through El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras. The region’s name comes from its ongoing drought and minimal rainfall. Within this region, over 25% of residents do not have the finances to purchase sufficient essential foods.
As of July 2021, more than 73.6% of Hondurans are in poverty with 53.7% in extreme poverty, according to estimates by the Honduran government.
How El Triunfo is Adapting Crops
The town of El Triunfo has taken an adaptive approach to combat the drought in Honduras. In 2018, a group of farmers in the area founded a community cooperative. There are currently 38 members of the cooperative, mostly women and their main focus is the growth and cultivation of cashew trees, The Guardian reported.
Cashews and cashew trees provide numerous long-term benefits. Primarily, they are extremely drought resistant and actually better the quality of the soil. They additionally benefit their environment by providing coverage for animals and other plants. In these ways, they differ from the crops that Honduran farmers traditionally grow.
Cashews are also packed with nutrients. One ounce of cashews contains five grams of protein and 12 grams of fat. They are additionally high in copper, which helps the body produce energy. Essentially, cashews provide a valuable supplement to the diet of those facing food insecurity.
Beyond being able to eat the cashews they grow, farmers in Honduras sell and make a profit from their cashew yields. While the cooperative does not currently have the means to process the cashews themselves, they are able to sell the nuts to an intermediary. Although, they do hope to have their own operations one day, according to The Guardian.
Etramasot
While the long-term efficacy of the cooperative remains to be seen, as much of their operation is still in its developing stages, there are also more established companies within the town of El Triunfo. Etramasot, for example, is a cashew farming company founded in 2003 that fully manages its own processing. Ninety-two farmers currently grow for Etramasot and the current president, Almí Martinez, has witnessed first-hand the qualitative benefits of utilizing stable, drought-resistant crops.
“I’ve seen people able to buy their own land, animals and educate their children who have gone into professions,” she said in an interview with the Guardian.
The drought in Honduras and the weather conditions throughout the entire dry corridor make it difficult for farmers in the area to produce consistent crop yields. Cashew trees, however, are able to thrive despite these conditions, leading many farmers in El Triunfo, Honduras to adapt their fields to grow cashews. The resulting cashews not only provide a steady source of nutrition for the farmers but allow them to reap the economic benefit of selling the excess.
– Eleanor Corbin
Photo: Flickr
Nature-Based Tourism in Laos
Laos, known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is the only landlocked country located in Southeast Asia and shares borders with Thailand, China, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. While it is one of the poorest countries in the region, its economy has significantly increased in the last 20 years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, around 42,000 people in Laos or 60% of the labor force had employment in tourism, with 62% of the workers being women. Tourism was growing fast in the Lao PDR, having as many as 4.1 million international tourists in 2018. However, with the travel distribution of the COVID-19 pandemic, half of the tourism businesses closed temporarily. This caused the furloughing of 70% of their employees. The Asian Development Bank recognizes nature-based tourism in Laos needs undergo enhancement, especially as it ties to agriculture. Organizations such as the World Bank have offered recommendations on how to expand nature-based tourism in Laos. Additionally, the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus Initiative has highlighted how Laos’ practices to preserve the country’s environment can lead to job expansion in the tourism industry.
About Nature-Based Tourism
Tiger Trail Travel defines ecotourism as “tourism activity in rural and protected areas that minimizes negative impacts and is directed towards the conservation of natural and cultural resources, rural socio-economic development and visitor understanding of, and appreciation for, the places they are visiting.” According to the World Bank, Lao’s “lush nature and rich culture offer an opportunity to develop nature-based tourism, which can generate revenue, create green jobs and livelihood opportunities and lay the groundwork for greener economic growth.”
The Overall Issue
The Asian Development Bank advocates “raising competitiveness and strengthening the links between agriculture and tourism” in order for the Lao PDR to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. An ADB report found that tourism in Laos also supported growth in several sectors including livestock, fisheries and organic vegetables, potentially creating new “agricultural value chains.” Travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced around 180 tourism businesses the ADB surveyed to temporarily close, furloughing 70% of workers. Support for the tourism sector could include financial assistance and increases in vaccination, and reopen travel with “transparent, effective, and clear communication of health and safety protocols.”
Measures Laos Can Implement
The World Bank has found that the Lao PDR has beautiful landscapes of rainforests, waterfalls and mountains, all of which offer an opportunity to generate revenue and green jobs through greener economic growth. The World Bank claims, “in the next decade, nature-based tourism could grow in Laos from 4.3% of 2019 GDP and 3.5% of jobs to the global average of about 10% of GDP and 10% of jobs.” Laos has around 15% of the country set aside for conservation purposes on 23 national reserves, having more than 1,200 villages with 840,000 people residing within the boundaries. Additionally, because of international demand, Laos has the opportunity to develop nature-based tourism, as well as have “policies that enable responsible private investment and effective conservation.”
The World Bank gives two recommendations for strengthening nature-based tourism in Laos such as facilitating private investment and managing protected areas. To facilitate private investment, they suggest reducing barriers to tourism businesses for investment, creating regulations pertaining to small businesses in the tourism industry, establishing regulations and procedures in protected areas and giving “vocational training in nature-based tourism and innovating market development, and hospitality.” For managing protected areas, they suggest creating and finalizing plans for those areas, elevating the skills of departments protecting those areas, managing waste in protected areas and establishing a system involving fees and revenues around protected areas.
What Laos is Doing
The Global Climate Change Alliance Plus Initiative recognizes tourism has been a large part of Laos’ economy since the mid-2000s and the country has a lot of untouched nature. GCCA+ reported that for nature-based tourism in Laos, innovations have occurred that include the banning of chemical cleaning products in order to preserve water, wildlife and plants. Some local markets sell only organic foods to local restaurants, creating full-time jobs such as sustainability managers. GCCA+ also recognizes other organizations such as LuxDev, “which runs a ‘skills for tourism’ programme in Laos.” LuxDev recognizes that by having local and young people involved in the sustainable tourism industry in Laos, everyone benefiting is less likely to trash the environment.
LuxDev is an organization that “manage[s], monitor[s], and support[s] Luxembourg developing efforts in Laos,” after first setting up an office in Vientiane in 2016. It is an agency that supports skills development in Laos’s tourism sector, helping the poorer and more vulnerable groups in remote areas of Lao PDR.
Looking Ahead
Laos has many options to enhance its tourism industry, especially in a region so rich and prosperous in nature. Through strong nature-based tourism in Laos, more people will see the country’s beauty, thereby creating more jobs and further helping the agricultural sector. With a stronger focus on tourism, Laos’s economy can continue to grow.
– Jerrett Phinney
Photo: Flickr
USAID Programs in Namibia
The factors include prevention and treatment for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, fundamental access to education, “community-based natural resource management”, “democracy and governance” and establishing employment opportunities and expanding on existing enterprises.
Energy Programs in Namibia
Electricity access is still lacking in parts of southern Africa. In 2020, The World Bank reported that only 56% of Namibians had access to electricity. Namibia is one of 11 nations in the Southern African Energy Program (SAEP), which was launched in 2017. Another country targeted by SAEP is Zambia. In 2021, Namibia imported 100 megawatts (MW) from Zambia according to NamPower, Namibia’s national electric utility provider.
Of note, renewable energy has been a focus of the SAEP, using existing resources from its parent organization USAID to fund a renewable energy feed-in-tariff program. The feed-in-tariff program provides individuals with means to renewable energy similar to solar panels. Excess or unused energy produced is sent to the national power grid and the individual is given a tariff or small sum for the unused energy. If an individual in the program needs more energy than they produced, they can get energy from the national grid.
Tuberculosis in Namibia
Tuberculosis (TB) is the fourth highest cause of death in Namibia. Around 1,500 people died from TB in 2020 according to the organization Stop TB.
Still, Namibia has had some recent success thanks to USAID treatment programs. New incidences of TB in Namibia were at the lowest rate in over a decade with approximately only 11,700 cases in 2020. Additionally, treatment programs were largely successful; USAID reports an 87% success rate in new TB cases in 2020. A course of several antibiotics is the routine treatment for TB.
TB ties into a greater health problem in Namibia, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). According to USAID, 61% of people in Namibia with TB are also HIV positive. In 2020, 1,989 Namibians were diagnosed with both HIV and TB.
Combating HIV in Namibia
In Namibia, USAID and PEPFAR have provided substantial help in the fight against HIV. USAID programs in Namibia geared toward HIV provide counseling, resources and treatment for Namibians with HIV. This includes pregnant women at risk of passing HIV to their children.
USAID’s efforts have paid off. For 20 years, new HIV and AIDS cases have been on the decline. HIV is the virus that, if left untreated, can develop into AIDS. In 1998, new AIDS cases in Namibia were estimated to be at 22,000. In 2020, there were only an estimated 5,500 new AIDS cases according to UNAIDS, the joint program in the United Nations dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS.
One of the most effective ways to prevent HIV is using condoms during sex. In Namibia, the demand for access to condoms exceeds the supply, which is where USAID comes in. Supplying condoms to Namibians is one prong of the strategy to combat HIV. The most recent update to fighting HIV through USAID programs in Namibia came in early June 2022. USAID donated 6.9 million condoms and 2.6 million bottles of personal lubricant to the country to fight to help prevent the spread of HIV.
Final Thoughts
USAID programs in Namibia have been actively fighting to improve conditions in the southern African country. Direct efforts from USAID, including energy programs through SAEP, have given access to electricity to thousands of Namibians. Healthcare to treat and prevent diseases like HIV and TB have increased living conditions in Namibia, highlighting the need for programs to help Namibians in the fight against poverty and disease.
– Emma Rushworth
Photo: Flickr
Opportunities for African Students in Chinese Universities
In recent years, China has become one of the most popular destinations for students from other developing countries, mainly African states, to seek higher education. The number of African students in Chinese universities reached a new peak of 81,562 in 2018, compared to less than 2,000 in 2003. It is worth asking how universities in China are attractive to African students and how those students benefit from this study experience overseas.
Growing Recognition of Chinese Higher Education
Speaking of opportunities to study abroad, most people immediately think of the U.S. and the U.K. as the ideal destinations, as the two countries occupied nine of the top 10 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2023. However, it is essential to notice that the Chinese universities’ performance in the world rankings is improving yearly, so many see them as providing an excellent academic environment for students as well.
In 2015, the two most prestigious universities in China, Peking and Tsinghua, ranked 51st and 47th in the QS World University Rankings. However, in the 2023 list, they ranked 12th and 14th respectively, showing that Chinese higher education is receiving more international recognition.
In 2018, 11% of students from Africa and the Middle East who chose to study abroad picked China as their destination. Additionally, the survey showed that universities in China are the sixth most popular among those students, ranking higher than both France and Switzerland.
Opportunities and Experiences of African Students in Chinese Universities
The fact that African students in Chinese Universities are becoming more common is significant due to China’s soft power diplomacy. As the Chinese government cooperates economically and politically with African states, it becomes more valuable and practical for African students to study in China. Indeed, China embraced those students with open arms.
First of all, the Chinese national government, local government, Confucius Institute and individual universities (including Peking university) have set up multiple scholarships for international students. Most of those scholarships cover all the fees of tuition and teaching materials, as well as living expenses. Some scholarships even provide free medical insurance and plane tickets to travel home and return to school.
Also, the Chinese government valued African students in their university as a successful soft power approach to push forward international cooperation. According to Global Times, in October 2021, China-Africa Institute held the First Forum on International Students from Africa named “We, the Inheritors of African-China Friendship,” with Martin Mpana, Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Cameroon to China, giving the opening speech. This encouraged more African students to pursue higher education in China.
Moreover, many significant figures in African politics had previous experience as a student in Chinese universities. For example, in 2005, 22 critical African politicians had received scholarships in China before, and eight of them explicitly worked on the diplomatic relationship with China.
African students that China Daily interviewed stated that studying and knowing about China helped their future careers as many Chinese-related investments and cooperations created jobs in their homeland. He also believed that learning from Chinese business could help to improve Africa’s economy.
Case Study: Peking University African Student Association
African students in Chinese universities would not feel alone, as many of them have their own student society. The Peking University African Student Association is one of them. The Association organizes many academic and social activities for African students. It also provides overseas African students with invitations and information to study at Peking University, including collaboration with African Student Associations from other schools like Tsinghua University.
In 2020, the Peking University African Student Association took a significant role in the Ninth Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tank Forum, showing their influence in promoting African students’ participation in Chinese academic activities.
Overall, the number of African students studying in Chinese universities continues to rise. This sizeable eastern economy could provide more opportunities for higher education for students from other developing countries.
– Ella Li
Photo: Flickr
Increasing Trade Within Africa
The continent of Africa makes enough food to feed its entire population. However, there are still plenty of citizens who go to bed hungry and live in poverty. Due to the general struggle of exporting goods, Africa can barely get its products out to other countries, much less within the region, because goods cost much more than they normally would. However, there are organizations, such as USAID and legislation such as the African Free Continental Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) that are working on reducing trade tariffs and increasing trade within Africa.
Terrifying Tariffs
Africa’s infrastructure was designed to send out goods and other resources to other areas in the world, not for trading within the region. This dilemma has created many roadblocks to trading across borders. One of these is that the price of trading outside the continent has risen dramatically. Specifically, “the cost of goods in the region is nearly 40% above retail because it costs that much to get it to consumers,” according to USAID.
Trade within the region of Africa only makes up 13% of the total. According to USAID, the continent drags behind other global superpowers in trade. In fact, Asia is responsible for 40% of trade in the region, the EU is responsible for 60% of trade and North America has 31% of total trade.
Fighting the Good Fight
Food insecurity is one of the most significant impediments to economic prosperity in Africa and the result of a lack of increasing trade within Africa. More than 27 million people in the region are still food insecure and require assistance, amounting to a 39% increase since 2016.
However, USAID is working with the government in Africa and private sector organizations on reducing the costs of doing business, and increasing trade within Africa. USAID Trade and Investment Hubs are working to improve the opportunities for investment. “For every $1 of public money spent, the hubs leverage $9 in private sector investment.”
There are other solutions too. Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which reduced both the cost of importing/exporting goods by half, Africa has begun back-and-forth trade with the U.S. Over 10 years later, “U.S. businesses have exported $37 billion worth of goods to East Africa,” USAID reported.
Another effort toward increasing trade in Africa is the African Continental Free Trade Agreement Area Agreement, (AfCFTA), “a landmark trade agreement,” signed in 2018.
The AfCFTA, An Overview
The AfCTFA pressures countries to remove tariffs on 90% of goods and will create a market that has, “over a billion consumers” and a total GDP of more than $3 trillion, according to a Brookings report. This would make Africa “the largest free trade area in the world.”
Thanks to the fact that the AfCFTA has been increasing trade within Africa, the number of goods trading within the region has increased from around 10% in 1995 to about 17%. However, as stated before, the region’s total trade with itself still remains low compared to other global superpowers such as Europe, Asia and North America.
However, according to the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the AfCFTA will increase the number of agricultural products traded within the country by 20 to 30%. By accepting the agreement, state revenue, income for farmers, and investments in modern agricultural practices will increase. ECA wrote a report on the AfCFTA and explained that “the AfCFTA potentially embodies a ‘win-win’ approach such that all countries across Africa and vulnerable communities within these countries receive benefits from the agreement,” according to a Brookings report.
A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report in 2021 showed that Africa’s, “untapped export potential amounts to $21.9 billion, equivalent to 43% of intra-African exports.”
Due to COVID-19, the date of free trade in Africa pushed back to January 1, 2021. Just a month before free trade was supposed to begin, an African coffee and cocoa merchant named Meron Dagnew visited the AfCFTA Secretariat in February 2020. “I am hoping to not pay as much as 35% tariffs on my goods… I could then make a profit, expand my business and hire more people,” she said.
The lack of modern transportation systems holds back traders like Dagnew to ship their goods. According to Africa Renewal, “African countries could rake in $20 billion yearly by simply tackling non-tariff barriers that slow the movement of goods.”
There are plenty of blockades to increasing trade within Africa, such as tariffs, food insecurity and a lack of modern agricultural practices. However, thanks to the help of organizations such as USAID, and legislation such as the African Free Continental Trade Agreement, Africa is slowly making their way towards being able to provide for each and every citizen and promote growth within the region’s hard-working traders.
– Henry Hyman
Photo: Flickr