Uju Okoye

Zambia is at an economic and political crossroads that serves to underscore the importance of identity in the developing world.

A new report, released by the non-profit group Oceans Beyond Pirates, examines recent changes in the nature of piracy off the coasts of Africa.

A year into Buhari’s term, the Nigerian people are raising serious questions about the government’s claims to be living up to its campaign promises.

As the world marked World Press Freedom Day on May 3, United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon issued an otherwise unremarkable statement, predictably advocating for free and independent media across the globe. What stands out in Ban’s phrasing, though, is the understanding that it is a “fundamental right” of all citizens, in all societies, to have access to information that empowers them. To reflect on the role of a responsible and thriving press, and the struggle to secure it, is a sobering reminder of how compromised journalism remains in far too many countries and how much work there is still left to do. That’s especially true on the African continent, where a constellation of political pressure, government repression, cultural factors, and inadequate funding puts the fundamental right of a free press out of reach.

Despite the slowdown in the Chinese economy and the resulting slump in commodity prices, a consortium of Chinese, Singaporean, and Guinean companies are due to ramp up bauxite ore mining in the West African country of Guinea from 10 to 15 million tons this year, before reaching 30 million tons in 2017.

As Nigeria navigates another difficult passage in its history, human rights and fundamental freedoms must be what prevent a bloody history from repeating itself.

In Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, 2015 was a banner year for democratic transitions.

Zambia is at an economic and political crossroads that serves to underscore the importance of identity in the developing world.

A new report, released by the non-profit group Oceans Beyond Pirates, examines recent changes in the nature of piracy off the coasts of Africa.

A year into Buhari’s term, the Nigerian people are raising serious questions about the government’s claims to be living up to its campaign promises.

As the world marked World Press Freedom Day on May 3, United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon issued an otherwise unremarkable statement, predictably advocating for free and independent media across the globe. What stands out in Ban’s phrasing, though, is the understanding that it is a “fundamental right” of all citizens, in all societies, to have access to information that empowers them. To reflect on the role of a responsible and thriving press, and the struggle to secure it, is a sobering reminder of how compromised journalism remains in far too many countries and how much work there is still left to do. That’s especially true on the African continent, where a constellation of political pressure, government repression, cultural factors, and inadequate funding puts the fundamental right of a free press out of reach.

Despite the slowdown in the Chinese economy and the resulting slump in commodity prices, a consortium of Chinese, Singaporean, and Guinean companies are due to ramp up bauxite ore mining in the West African country of Guinea from 10 to 15 million tons this year, before reaching 30 million tons in 2017.

As Nigeria navigates another difficult passage in its history, human rights and fundamental freedoms must be what prevent a bloody history from repeating itself.

In Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, 2015 was a banner year for democratic transitions.