Violence escalates in Burundi following the unlawful reelection of President Pierre Nkurunziza [Photo Credit: REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic]

Burundi’s post-election political conflict needs international intervention

Burundi, a small land-locked nation in East Africa, has been in political turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced in April that he would run for a third term, despite the nation’s constitutional limit of two terms. Nkurunziza subsequently won the July presidential election. Opposition responses included violent protests, a boycott of the election, and an…

Tanzanians line up to vote in the country's 2015 presidential election [Photo Credit: AP]

Tanzania’s chaotic, successful elections point toward a greater democratic future for the nation

Tanzania has just completed its most competitive presidential and parliamentary elections yet, with strong implications for the political future of the country. Tanzania inaugurated president-elect John Magufuli on Thursday following elections on October 25. Magufuli will be Tanzania’s fifth president since the country gained independence in 1964. Both the United Nations and the US have…

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama discuss Ghana's work to end poverty [Photo Credit: Dominic Chavez/World Bank]

World Bank report finds African poverty rates are falling though the number of Africans living in poverty has increased

The rate of extreme poverty in Africa has dropped 13% in the last twenty years. Steady economic growth has contributed to reducing poverty rates and improving health and education throughout Africa according to a report released by the World Bank. On Friday, the World Bank released a report on poverty in Africa titled Poverty in…

The M-Akiba Bond Program allows Kenyans to purchase government bonds using mobile money [Photo Credit: Creative Commons Erict19]

Kenya’s National Treasury releases the world’s first mobile phone treasury bond-selling program

The M-Akiba bond sale program, which was first announced as part of Kenya’s 2015-16 budget proposal in June, has begun offering five-year bonds worth a total of 5 billion Kenyan Shillings ($49 million) this October. Citizens will be able to purchase the government bonds using their existing mobile money accounts for a minimum of 3,000…

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South Africa’s Open Mosque

In late September, Cape Town opened its first “Open Mosque,” forcing Muslims in South Africa to tackle issues of gender equality, sexual orientation, and religious freedom. Essentially, the Mosque is open to all genders, sexes, religions, and races. The Mosque is owned by Cape-Town born, Muslim academic, Taj Hargey. There have been multiple backlashes from…

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Sustaining Food Aid for Ethiopia

With a 47.8 billion dollar budget request for 2014, the U.S. dominates in the provision of foreign aid. The main American motive behind aid is to, as stated by the Department of State, “provide the people and programs necessary to protect U.S. interests, promote peace and ensure America’s leadership in the world.”[1] However, in the…