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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.

Our Pick

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  1. haldar21_Getty Images Getty Images
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    Revisiting the Behavioral Revolution in Economics

    Antara Haldar assesses the legacy of the intellectual challenge to the view that rational self-interest guides our actions.
  2. varoufakis104_Andrew LichtensteinCorbis via Getty Images_amazonunion Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
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    New AI Germ Busters Can Also Bust Unions

    Yanis Varoufakis shows how an AI-driven biomedical breakthrough could rob workers of what little power they have left.
  3. james206_anilakkusGetty Images_globalization anilakkus/Getty Images
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    Globalization’s Warring Narratives

    Harold James examines the analytical disagreements that are hampering management of an unavoidable phenomenon.
  4. op_nagymohacsi2_Namthip MuanthongthaeGetty Images_CBDC Namthip Muanthongthae/Getty Images
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    The Digital Economy’s New Monetary Imperative

    Piroska Nagy Mohácsi

    In a rapidly digitalizing world, central banks are staring down a future in which they may lack the tools necessary to manage crises, and in which they may no longer be able to protect their monetary sovereignty. They should recognize that digital currency is a source of institutional salvation.

     thinks governments must embrace central bank digital currencies or risk a fundamental loss of control.
  5. pisaniferry145_ Thierry MonasseGetty Images_eu green deal Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
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    Europe’s Climate Quandary

    Jean Pisani-Ferry assesses the inevitable trade-offs the European Union must confront in achieving its clean-energy targets.
  6. basu92_Win McNameeGetty Images_samaltmanopenaisenate Win McNamee/Getty Images
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    Governing the Unknown

    Kaushik Basu suggests a few principles to guide policymakers as they try to keep up with rapidly advancing technologies.
  7. oyebanji2_ PIUS UTOMI EKPEIAFP via Getty Images_lassa fever PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images
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    Fast-Tracking a Lassa Fever Vaccine

    Oyeronke Oyebanji outlines what West African governments can learn from the development and distribution of the COVID-19 jab.
  8. schleussner1_David McNewGetty Images_heatwave David McNew/Getty Images
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    Climate Science Beats Climate Fatalism

    Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, et al. show that the more ambitious 1.5º target for global warming is still feasible – and more necessary than ever.
  9. benami202_Burak KaraGetty Images_erdogan Burak Kara/Getty Images
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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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