South Africa
South Africa must develop its gas industry or face economic regression, says energy minister
South Africa expects a sharp decrease in natural gas supplies to industries in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces as imported gas from Pande and Temane fields in Mozambique runs low.
COMMENT: Trump’s tariff drive hits emerging markets as growth and inflation forecasts slide – Oxford Economics
President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies are already casting a long shadow over emerging market economies, with analysts cutting growth forecasts and warning of prolonged investment uncertainty and policy disruption.
Global press freedom indicator slips – Statista
This year's World Press Freedom Index highlights the economic situation of journalists and media organizations being a major risk to press freedom.
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 16% of the global population but 67% of extreme poverty - OWID
Every twelfth person in the world still lives in extreme poverty. That means surviving on less than $2.15 per day (adjusted for differences in living costs between countries).
BRICS seeks new global alignment at Rio ministerial summit
The expanded BRICS alliance has emerged as a potent diplomatic force at its foreign ministers’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on April 28 ahead of the July meeting.
Global military spending surges to $2.7 trillion – Statista
Global military spending hit $2.7 trillion last year, according to the latest data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Statista reports.
IMF: Enhancing financial stability for resilience during uncertain times
Capital markets are essential for driving economic activity, providing mechanisms for raising funds and allocating resources efficiently. The stability of these markets and the financial institutions that intermediate them are critical.
IMF: Global debt to exceed pandemic levels soon
Global public debt is set to rise to 95% of GDP this year and will continue to climb in the next years to top 100%, says the IMF.
Rising CO2 and temperatures make rice more toxic – The Lancet
Rice, the most widely consumed grain in the world, is likely to become increasingly toxic as global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels rise, according to new research published in The Lancet on April 17.
Russia's expanding pull in Africa is pushing Western influence out
Moscow’s expanding presence in Africa has largely unfolded in silence, but the shift it represents is profound. Like in the game of Risk, Africa’s sheer size and its treasure trove of untapped raw materials is becoming increasingly important.
IMF: Global growth is expected to decline and downside risks to intensify as major policy shifts unfold – WEO
After enduring a prolonged and unprecedented series of shocks, the global economy appeared to have stabilized, with steady yet underwhelming growth rates, the International Monetary Fund said in its latest World Economic Outlook.
BRICS labour meeting in Brasilia tackles AI impact, green transition
The 4th BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting concludes in Brasília today, following three days of discussions focused on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and just transition in the world of work.
COMMENT: Five key trends in new global paradigm of narrow self-interest – Oxford Economics
A new global economic paradigm is taking shape as major economies pivot towards policies rooted in narrow national self-interest, a shift that political analysts at Oxford Economics believe will have lasting repercussions.
Who is going to Moscow May 9 victory day parade?
Who will attend Putin’s Victory parade on May 9? The guest list will be a barometer of Russia’s standing in the world and how far he has got in building an alternative international community in the Global South.
IMF: Migration and refugee policies steer people, and economies, in new directions
When destination countries tighten migration and refugee policies, it has economic ripple effects elsewhere, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a blog. Migration has always been an integral part of humanity’s history and success.
Russia to capitalise on Africa’s growing energy demand
Russia has been intensifying its efforts to strengthen energy partnerships with African countries, indicating a broader strategy to enhance its geopolitical influence across the continent.
HALLIGAN: Trump's tariffs are either madness or genius – it could go either way
Donald Trump has referred to tariffs as “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”. And now the US President has unleashed the most aggressive surge in American trade protectionism in almost a century.
Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs will accelerate BRICS bloc trade cooperation
BRICS avowedly seeks to challenge Western-dominated institutions of global economic governance, as well as to displace the US dollar from its entrenched role in the world economy. Its job just got easier thanks to Trump.
Where the world is charging most tariffs - Statista
The Trump administration's recent move to impose tariffs on Chinese, Mexican and Canadian goods as well as steel and aluminium imports in general is once again breaking with long-standing US trade policy, Statista reports.
Trump and Carthage: The end of history revisited
What has gone wrong with the world? Protests and wars have broken out across the globe. Analysts are warning that weak countries could face problems but the strong ones are suffering from a deeper long term rot that will change the world order.