In both Kenya and Nigeria extreme poverty has declined due to improvements in water, sanitation, health and other living standards, while Ghana has made steady progress and is now ranked as having medium human development.

The elevation of dealmaker extraordinaire Katumba Mwanke to the Democratic Republic of Congo's Order of National Heroes, two days after he was killed in a plane crash in Bukavu on 12 February, prompts an unhappy comparison with the only other two recipients of the award: Prime Minster Patrice Lumumba and President Laurent-Désiré Kabila.

The restaurateur-cook-waitress looked more like a grandmother than mother, shrunken with poverty.  Scarf tied around her simple but sweet face. Tired but with a smile and outspread, work-worn hands, one felt the urge to give her a hug, and tuck her into bed, rather than giving 'Mama' an order for several plates piled high with steak and sadza (maize meal) at nearly midnight.

Spot the connection. Presidential candidates in Africa are richer than ever and governments proclaim that state capitalism is the favoured...

A new report from Save the Children assesses the state of malnutriton across the world

What is private sector corruption? A flippant answer would be anything that the losing party in a job or tender selection process says it is, since there is that old saying that one person's corruption (or patronage, nepotism) is another's rightful meritocracy!