Africans ready to take the bull by the horn to COP27 Commentary Africa will host international climate talks on 6-18 November 2022 and the African Union has been busy trying to get the rest of the world’s attention on the continent's expectations in the lead up to COP27. Of course, COP27 expectations are matched only by their disappointments. However, Africans are not leaving the fate of its people to chance. By Michael Davies-Venn
Smallholder farmers: new markets, less regulation Pesticide Atlas 2022 In Africa, fewer pesticides are used than in other regions of the world. Nevertheless the 33 million smallholders are increasingly becoming the focus of pesticide companies. There they also sell what has been banned in the European Union. By Layla Liebetrau
Gender agenda: The big conundrum in the general elections in Kenya and Senegal Analysis In the months of July and August 2022, Senegal and Kenya will hold their general elections. However, the big question remains: Where do Senegalese and Kenyan women stand on their quest to parliamentary mandates and political offices? By Dr. Saliou Ngom, Dr. Selly Bâ, Caroline Kioko and Nicola Egelhof
The UK’s refugee deal with Rwanda: “Setting a catastrophic precedent” Commentary The UK’s plan to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda – even before their applications have been concluded – may have been halted just in time this time, but the government is still pushing forward with its controversial plans. By Kirsten Krampe
The French “meanwhile” on vaccine equity Commentary While nearly 82% of Europeans are fully vaccinated, this is the case for just 11% of Africans. This vaccine gap could overshadow discussions between the heads of state of the two continents at the summit to be held in Brussels on 17 and 18 February between the European Union and the African Union. France, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, has been called upon to act to waive patents on Covid-19 vaccines. Emmanuel Macron is the champion of the “global licence” project. By Nicolas Kirilowits
Why won’t Germany support a Covid-19 vaccine waiver? Anna Cavazzini answers this and more ahead of the EU-AU summit Interview Four civil society representatives ask MEP Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA) about the Covid-19 vaccine patent waiver, as the wane of some countries’ Omicron winters poses a new threat to global vaccine equity. By Laura Lopez Gonzalez
Covid-19 pandemic, vaccine distribution and global justice: the story so far Analysis We are experiencing two very different pandemic realities between low-income and high-income countries. Unfortunately, instead of seeking a solidarity-based response, the international community has once again demonstrated its disunity in this health crisis. The task now is to regain credibility and rebuild trust. By Barbara Unmüßig
EU-Africa relations in times of Covid-19 Dossier The uneven distribution of Covid-19 vaccines is one of the main discussion points at EU-Africa Union summit on 17-18 February 2022. Two years into the pandemic, about 75% of the EU’s population has already received at least one vaccine dose, while on the African continent only 16% has been jabbed. The sustained pandemic not only affects the public health conditions but also African economies, societies and political stability. This dossier sheds light on the impacts of Covid-19 on African countries and offers ways forward for a green, inclusive and feminist recovery.
Ill feeling between continents ahead of the EU-AU summit Commentary The travel restrictions imposed by the European Union on people traveling from southern Africa after the discovery of the Omicron variant, will potentially have a long-term impact on the EU-AU relations. By Dr. Melanie Müller
CAP beyond the EU | Precision agriculture: for whom precisely? Analysis The development and diffusion of precision agriculture might speed up since fresh money could become available through eco-schemes under the new CAP Strategic Plans. How does the EU support precision agriculture and what does it mean from a global south perspective? This article looks at the case of Rwanda and suggests technological developers and policy makers to proceed with caution to avoid widening inequality between smallholders and commercial farms, privacy breaches or undesired data dependency on tech giants like Google. By Hans Wetzels
