On September 12th Rwanda's government signed a deal to build an “experimental” civil nuclear reactor, making it the second African country to adopt civil nuclear energy. It is expected that the reactor will be operational by 2026 and will be able to produce “electricity, hydrogen and synthetic fuel." However, the reactor will not initially supply the country's energy grid, but it will serve to explore options for renewable energy.
The summit will provide a crucial forum for countries such as Mozambique, Madagascar and Malawi to seek viable solutions as extreme weather phenomena become more common. The summit comes at a crucial time for the region as there is an urgent need to address infrastructure shortcomings and climate change challenges. There is hope that countries can address green and renewable energy development goals, while promoting a sustainable agenda for the region.
April 16, 2023 written by Osetemega Iribiri Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of Sudan's military force and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, widely known as Hemedti, of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have been unable to come together to integrate both forces, thus leading to violent clashes in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city. The pro-democracy Central Committee of... Continue Reading →
April 10, 2023 Written by Jesse Moore As I've described before, Egypt could be doing better. The turbulence of Covid-19, the war in Ukraine's effect on food and energy prices, and the long-running mismanagement of the country all contribute to Cairo's woes. While the government secured a $3 billion IMF loan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is courting... Continue Reading →
April 10, 2023 Written by Osetemega Iribiri On April 10, 2023, Kenya will join the list of African country that has launched operational space satellites. This milestone achievement for the country’s space industry will contribute to Kenya’s budding space economy. It also adds to Africa’s scientific innovation and development trajectory. The satellite is called Tafia-1... Continue Reading →
Written by Jesse Moore March 12, 2023 Tunisia, once the only Arab country considered to have bloomed in the Arab Spring, is quickly wilting, as I’ve previously described. President Kais Saied, a former law professor, performed a coup in 2021 by suspending parliament and assuming executive power in order to ‘save’ the country from the... Continue Reading →
Written by Osetemega Iribiri March 5, 2023 On Wednesday March 1st, Nigeria's Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling APC, winner of the 2023 presidential elections. Constitutionally, the winner is expected to garner 25% of votes in at least twenty-four (24) states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. Tinubu got 25%... Continue Reading →
Written by Osetemega Iribiri In a two-day African Union summit, African leaders discussed many challenges facing the continent and jumpstarted a faltering free trade pact. Some of the challenges confronting the continent are a record drought in the Horn and deadly violence in the Sahel region and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), ceasefires... Continue Reading →
Written by Jesse Moore The self-immolation of 26 year-old fruit vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, in front of a government office set off the wave of pro-democracy protests called the Arab Spring that washed over North Africa and the Middle East. The protests initially showed promise by disrupting entrenched authoritarian regimes, eliciting high praise from Western leaders. Time, however, has shown... Continue Reading →
Written by Jesse Moore February 11, 2023 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his Moroccan counterparty Aziz Akhannouch met on February 2nd in Rabat to further settle their nation’s disagreements. The two countries have longstanding disputes on Spanish enclaves in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, and migrants reaching Spain through Morocco. At the summit in... Continue Reading →
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 