Dear Friends and Colleagues,
In May we were delighted to publish a Briefing Note on Dakar's thwarted attempt to issue West Africa’s first municipal bond. On 15 June, we will be hosting a discussion on "Sustainable funding for Africa’s cities" from 6pm to 8pm. Speakers confirmed so far include Professor Susan Parnell from the African Centre for Cities, and Jeremy Gorelick, lead technical adviser at Dakar's Municipal Finance Program . Sign up here.
On the ARI blog this month, Oluseun Onigbinde, founder of BudgIT, reflected on Buhari’s first year as president of Nigeria, and argued that he must lead the way in reforming Nigeria’s states. For more on the state of sub-national government in Nigeria watch these video highlights of our recent event on the subject. You can also watch ARI's Paul Adams discuss the state of Nigeria’s states in this interviewwith CNBC.
Our Policy Researcher Jamie Hitchen wrote about corruption in post-Ebola Sierra Leone, reflecting on how the lyrics of Emmerson Bockarie’s recent music have captured the mood of frustration amongst citizens. The piece was republished by Africa at LSE and Daily Maverick.
On 12 May, as President Museveni was sworn in for a fifth elected term in Uganda, Jamie Hitchen reflected on recent political developments in the country and what might unfold in the next five years. This week also saw Museveni deliver the State of the Nation address to parliament, an opportune moment toreflect on the last 30 years of the NRMs self-proclaimed steady progress.
At the World Economic Forum on Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, ARI director Edward Paice was a discussion leader in the “Towards an integrated Africa” session. While there he also interviewed John Rwangombwa, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda for a forthcoming publication; discussed collaboration with the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research; and met with senior officials in the Presidency.
Edward also delivered the keynote speech at The Historical Association’s 2016 annual conference, attended by more than 300 delegates. The topic was ‘“A most regrettable occurrence”: the First World War campaigns in eastern Africa’. See his ARI publication "How the Great War razed East Africa” for further insight.
In June, keep an eye out for the launch of Briefing Note on land reform and traditional leadership in South Africa and a French version of the Dakar Briefing Note.
Best wishes,
Yovanka Paquete Perdigao
Communications Officer, Africa Research Institute
