Viewpoint by Kishore Mahbubani The writer is a Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the author of ‘Has the West Lost It?’ This analysis first appeared in EastAsiaForum on June 5, 2019 with the heading ‘A ‘yellow peril’ revival fuelling Western fears of China’s rise’. SINGAPORE (IDN-INPS) – Do we arrive at […]
SDGs Offer Russia New Opportunities in Africa
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-19) that brought together thousands of foreign delegates, including those from Africa, prioritized “sustainable development” as the key theme. It offered an opportunity to discuss in-depth the significance, challenges and prospects of sustainable development, and cooperation among state institutions and businesses as […]
Urgent Action Needed to Scale-up Energy Access in LDCs
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK | BEIJING (IDN) – The world’s 47 least developed countries (LDCs) will fail to achieve global sustainable energy targets by 2030 unless urgent and enhanced action is undertaken. This was the backdrop to discussions which took place on May 30-31, 2019 at a United Nations conference on ‘Scaling-Up Energy […]
Boosting Energy Access and Finance in Poorest Countries
Viewpoint by Youba Sokona The following are extensive extracts from keynote remarks by Youba Sokona, South Centre’s Senior Adviser on Sustainable Development, at the Global Conference on Scaling-up Energy Access and Finance in Least Developed Countries in Beijing, China. The United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and […]
UN Study Urges a More Gender-Equal Digital Space
Flays Feminization of Voice Assistants By Rita Joshi BERLIN | PARIS (IDN) – “I think if we wake up 20 years from now and we see the lack of diversity in our tech and leaders and practitioners [that we see today], that would be my doomsday scenario,” said Li Fei-Fei, co-director of Stanford University’s Human-Centered […]
79-Nation ACP Moving into a New Era of Global Partnerships
By Reinhard Jacobsen BRUSSELS (IDN) – To bring “Asia and the Americas into closer bonds of friendship” with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and “strengthen South-South solidarity”, Secretary-General Dr. P. I. Gomes is keen to “build bridges with India on technical cooperation” and initiate a “new partnership” with Peru. He was […]
The Electric Vehicle Revolution Is Underway in Africa
By Giles Kirkland An automotive expert and blogger, Giles Kirkland says he has a passion for new technologies. LONDON (IDN) – In 2016, a businessman called Francis Romano imported an electric car Nissan Leaf to Nairobi, Kenya. However, the car was held up at the Customs for an intriguing reason: they had never seen an […]
Why African Retailers Should Shift to Data-Driven Business
Viewpoint Toros Esim The writer is Head of Digital Retail and Regional Director of Digital Strategy for the Middle East & Africa at Orange Business Services. Views expressed are the writer’s. JOHANNESBURG (IDN) – In a continent the size of Africa, comprising more than 50 countries, it can be very tempting to make sweeping generalisations […]
Female Solar Engineers Light Up Remote Villages in Zanzibar
By Kizito Makoye KENDWA, Tanzania (IDN) – As darkness falls, Natasha Mahmood and her brother huddle around the weak flame of a paraffin lamp, rushing to finish their homework before their mother blows it out to save fuel. “I often try to get it done early. But that’s not always the case. My teacher sometimes […]
Era of Dissent & Defiance Inspired by 2011 Popular Arab Revolts
Viewpoint by James M. Dorsey James M. Dorsey – a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, an adjunct senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute and co-director of the University of Wuerzburg’s Institute of Fan Culture – offered this viewpoint to IDN. SINGAPORE (IDN) […]