Protectionist measures to strengthen francophone African reinsurance markets are beginning to pay off for local firms and are also attracting more international players

The government of President Mohamed got a dose of support at an international conference in May, but diplomats worry about its ability to defeat Al-Shabaab.

With South Africa’s 2019 national elections looming overhead, its political landscape has not caught a break as each month, and even week, that passes another ‘skeleton in the closet’ comes out to shock the public.

South African comedian Conrad Koch poses for a photograph with his puppet, Chester Missing, at his home in Cape Town. Photo: Schalk van Zuydam/AP/SIPA.

While America has its 45th president and purportedly its second one of colour – because orange is a colour – we in South Africa are on our fourth democratically elected president. The West often only really seems to know about two African leaders: Nelson Mandela and The Lion King, and sometimes they seem to think Nelson Mandela is actually Morgan Freeman.

A cargo vessel passes by as the sun rises over the Indian Ocean in Durban, South Africa. Frank Augstein/AP/SIPA.

By: Ruslan Kharlamov

 Last month I attended the 5th edition of the Africa CEO Forum, a two-day event dedicated to the continent's socio-economic development. One of the forum’s key—and, unfortunately, protracted—discussions was how to end Africa’s resource curse and climb up the value chain.

A Kenyan maize seller sifts out maize from a bucket to get rid of sand and other impurities. KAREL PRINSLOO/AP/SIPA.

By: Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

No region of the world has ever moved to industrialised economy status without a transformation of the agricultural sector. Agriculture, which contributes 16.2% of the GDP of Africa, and gives some form of employment to over 60% of the population, holds the key to accelerated growth, diversification and job creation for African economies.