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The African Century

276 commentaries

Africa’s economic rise is a world-changing development, but the sources of its emerging strength – and lingering weaknesses – are little understood. With support from the National Endowment for Democracy, The African Century provides a unique platform for debate about the vital issues shaping African societies.

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  1. Leveling the Financial Playing Field for Africa
    hott1_Sean GallupGetty Images_africandevelopmentbank Sean Gallup/Getty Images

    Leveling the Financial Playing Field for Africa

    May 30, 2023 Amadou Hott & Mark Malloch-Brown propose ways to redress longstanding inequities and enable African-led solutions to succeed.

  2. Why US Tech Giants Need Africa
    nallen1_TONY KARUMBAAFP via Getty Images_africa internet TONY KARUMBAAFP via Getty Images

    Why US Tech Giants Need Africa

    May 24, 2023 Nate D.F. Allen & Nanjira Sambuli explore the challenges American platforms must address as they seek to expand their presence on the continent.

  3. Walking Our Talk on Climate Action
    ruto1_TONY KARUMBAAFP via Getty Images_kenyarenewableenergy Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images

    Walking Our Talk on Climate Action

    May 19, 2023 William Ruto thinks more cross-border collaboration and financial reforms are needed to unleash a global green transition.

  4. How Europe’s Carbon Border Tax Could Help Africa
    lopes13_ Thierry MonasseGetty Images_carbon Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

    How Europe’s Carbon Border Tax Could Help Africa

    May 1, 2023 Carlos Lopes urges the European Union to consider African economies’ unique challenges when implementing its border tariff.

  5. Global Health Institutions Need Africa
    ouma1_KB MpofuGetty Images_africa vaccine KB Mpofu/Getty Images

    Global Health Institutions Need Africa

    Apr 27, 2023 Ahmed Ogwell Ouma urges international organizations to make room at the table for the continent’s interests.

  6. Mitigating the Debt-Climate Trade-off
    fofack15_ Alet PretoriusGallo Images via Getty Images_debt for nature Alet Pretorius/Gallo Images via Getty Images

    Mitigating the Debt-Climate Trade-off

    Apr 13, 2023 Hippolyte Fofack touts nature-based financial instruments as a way for fiscally constrained countries to address global warming.

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    Turkey’s Pragmatic Islamist

    Shlomo Ben-Ami expects Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s latest electoral victory to have little impact on Turkish foreign policy.
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    Poland's Electoral Inquisition

    Sławomir Sierakowski decries a new law designed to disqualify opposition candidates from running in this year's general election.
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    Western Industrial Policy and International Law

    Joseph E. Stiglitz

    With recent landmark legislation to support decarbonization and innovation, the United States is making up for lost time after its failed 40-year experiment with neoliberalism. But if it is serious about embracing a new paradigm, it will need to do more to help bring the rest of the world along.

     explains how to minimize the political risks of new spending packages in the US and Europe.
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    The IMF’s Turn to Lead on Climate

    Rakesh Mohan, et al. explain how the International Monetary Fund can best support green investment where it is needed the most.
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    If Trump Returns

    Joseph S. Nye, Jr.

    What would a second Donald Trump presidency mean for US foreign policy and the world? While the man himself is unpredictable, his first term and his behavior since losing re-election in 2020 offer plenty of clues, none of which will be comforting to America's allies.

     considers the implications of the 2024 presidential election for America's foreign policy and global standing.
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    A Western Distraction from Climate Action

    Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi warns that calls for the removal of Sultan Al Jaber as COP28 president-designate are a dangerous diversion.
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    How to Restructure Chinese Supply Chains

    Andrew Sheng & Xiao Geng argue that private markets can be leveraged to support a much-needed economic transformation.
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    The Supply Side of Decarbonization

    Ricardo Hausmann touts strategies that create incentives for developing countries to produce renewables and other green goods.
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    America and China Are on a Collision Course

    Nouriel Roubini juxtaposes recent developments and current trends with diplomatic happy talk about a “thaw” in tensions.

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