Aweil, South Sudan | AFP | A serious food crisis in the north of South Sudan is reaching critical levels, as a biting drought across much of east Africa serves up even more woes for the troubled country. In Northern Bahr Al Gazal it is not the incessant cycles of …
Read More »Outline of forces operating in Iraq’s Mosul theatre
Baghdad, Iraq | AFP | A wide array of Iraqi and international forces are involved in the fight to retake Mosul from the Islamic State jihadist group, which overran the country’s second city in 2014. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of the much-awaited operation on Monday and anti-IS …
Read More »Libya: Five restive years after Gaddafi
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Five years after Libyan strongman Moamer Gaddafi was captured and killed, the country remains unstable, with political and military rivalries sabotaging a viable state and the fight against Islamic State group jihadists. Following are key markers in the oil-rich North African country’s bid to become a …
Read More »Food price anxiety
Surge in prices could cause inflation flare up, squeeze Ugandan economy further – experts Uganda’s consumer price inflation fell more than expected in the past three months to September, thanks to a huge drop in non-food prices during the period, but economists say the downward trend is unlikely to be …
Read More »Retaking Iraq’s Mosul: a complex offensive
Paris, France | AFP | A complex offensive is taking place to recapture Mosul, the Islamic State group’s last major stronghold in Iraq and the country’s second city. Questions of timing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced Monday that operations to liberate Mosul had begun after already calling an operation to …
Read More »American to build Uganda’s refinery?
American to build refinery? Deal could be blow to sanction-strapped Russians Technocrats at the Energy Ministry and the Ministry of Finance who are working on the country’s pet project, the US$4 billion oil refinery, have learnt to stay cool under pressure. Behind their cool fronts, however, they are working in …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Beyond Uganda’s monetary and fiscal policy laziness
ANALYSIS: By Dr. Geoffrey A Onegi-Obel The way forward on the Uganda interest rate and middle income economy policy conundrum – The first point to note is that the Interest Rate is the key price in any economy. As a Pricing Signal, it therefore requires careful management by the Monetary and …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Trump still alive, but Republican Party in tatters
Washington, United States | AFP | After nearly 18 months of vitriolic campaigning and two incendiary presidential debates, it is clear that the 2016 race for the White House is truly like no other. The release of a 2005 video containing lewd and sexist comments made by Republican nominee Donald …
Read More »What Uganda’s history since independence reveals about 2016
Since 1962, we have seen history repeating itself This October 9, Uganda celebrated 54 years of Independence. It is a good point to look back and ponder what 2016 has in store for Ugandans. Looking at our nation’s history since Independence from the British colonialists in 1962 shows that years with …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Egypt military seen as expanding economic share
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | As Egypt braces for austerity reforms, the military has expanded its economic role, at times helping President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi assuage the impact of rising prices on the country’s poor. For decades, the military — which produced all but one president since 1952 — has …
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