Namibia Will Introduce Free University Education In 2026

 

Namibia will introduce free university education in 2026. This applies to all public universities and technical colleges. Registration and tuition fees are to be abolished. The challenge is how funding institutes of higher learning can be sustained. The funding for free university education will come from subsidies and the student financial assistance fund. This means those sources are going to require larger amounts of investments. The benefit of this is that Namibians will acquire skills for modern economy. A public that acquires more education will push the country higher up on the human development index. The motivation has an economic purpose. There is also concerns about what occurred in South Africa. Protests over universities fees occurred in 2017. The Namibian government might be fearful of  demonstrations in their borders. The Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah administration is likely trying to ensure political support. The youth are going to vote and this might determine the outcome of a future election. Students are normally the ones active in protests. Critics believe this is some vague promise and is not a new public policy direction. The new policy will help low income students and those who want to go back to school. What must be addressed is the middle income students. Their class makes them too wealthy to qualify, but not so much that they feel the strain of fees. If free university education is successful Namibia will see improvements in various sectors.    

Ukraine Seeks Diplomatic Ties With South Africa

President Volodymyr Zelensky came to South Africa to strengthen diplomatic ties. The conversations with South African Cyril Ramaphosa ranged from trade and the situation in Eastern  Europe. The trip was cut short by news of bombings of the Ukrainian  capital of  Kyiv. The visit was really not about bilateral relations. It was President Zelensky's attempt to undermine Russia's diplomatic status with South Africa. The BRICS members do not favor sanctions  on Russia or the growing anti-Russian sentiment within the European Union. Attempts have been made for peace settlements or possible ceasefire. All have been rejected. South Africa hosting the Ukrainian president seems odd considering the past treatment of Africans residing in Ukraine. African students faced discriminatory treatment when fleeing Ukraine in 2022. Africans in Ukraine constantly face forms of prejudice and discrimination. Ukrainian forces are active in parts of Africa according to some reports. Ukraine has sent special forces to Sudan and Mali. The reason Ukraine did this was to undermine the Wagner Group and Russia diplomatic missions in Africa. These instances of interference demonstrate that Ukraine is not an ally of African nations. The 2023 African Union peace delegation to Ukraine was rebuffed and subject to harsh treatment. President Zelensky was demanding that European countries continue to support the war effort. Seeing as arms  are  dissipating Ukraine is looking elsewhere. South Africa is under no obligation to help Ukraine or any other European state. After the 2023 AU peace deal proposal, it is obvious Ukraine does not value African council. The Russia-Ukraine War does work to the benefit of Africa. If the European Union keeps funding the conflict it will weaken the UK, France, and Germany. This means Europe will no longer be able to militarily intervene in Africa. Chances of Ukrainian victory are narrow and South Africa has little to gain from a war torn nation.  

 

The Death of Pope Francis

 

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. Under his leadership there was an attempt at making reforms to the Catholic Church. Pope Francis spoke about the need to take climate change seriously, compassion for refugees, and advocated acceptance of LGBTQ individuals. The question remains whether these were genuine changes in thought or had ulterior motives in mind. The real purpose of these positions and reforms are designed to keep the Catholic Church relevant. The youth are not going to be as religious as older generations. Overtime, organized religion could lose influence. The positions that Pope Francis took were about trying to recruit younger members to the Catholic Church. The problem is that tradition and social conservatism is not appealing to the vast majority of the public. Pope Francis did not approve of same sex marriage, abortion, or ordaining women as priests. Social conservatism remains a part of the papacy's worldview, even though some modest liberal reforms are experimented with. The mythical image of Pope Francis is a champion of leftist thought and humanitarianism. His convictions could not be classified as liberation theology. Just like other popes, Francis did little to stop the extensive sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church. Failure to acknowledge women's reproductive rights or stopping criminal action undermines the claim of a humanitarian pope. Pope Francis was elected pope in 2013. The 11 years of modest reform could possibly be reversed. The Pope Francis era has come to an end and the Vatican will see a new administration.    

Israel Intends Complete Conquest of the Gaza Strip

 

The Gaza-Israel War continues unrestricted. Israel asserts that the military objective was to rescue the hostages. Instead, the attack is more of a war of aggression seeking regime change. After several attempts at a ceasefire the Likud Party reveals its true intentions. Territorial expansion and annexing certain areas are the main objectives. Israel is trying to stop the creation of a Palestinian state. Simultaneously the Zionist state wants to keep Syria and Lebanon in a weakened conditions. Israel is forming what is known as security zones. These areas have a huge IDF occupation, but do not allow Palestinians to remain. Arabs residing in Israel are under a threat. Those refugees seeking to escape are at risk. The bombing of refugee camps has occurred. Rafah is a pathway to Egypt. Palestinians are going to have to find safety in neighboring Arab states. If the atrocities continue to escalate Jordan and Egypt are going to be forced to respond. The treaties that have been signed with Israel might not remain in place. Israel is absorbing mostly southern Gaza. The buffer zones being formed are nothing more than territories that will be added to the Zionist state. Palestinians have few options for self-defense and resistance. Hamas is not an effective fighting force. The PFLP and PLO are not as equipped compared to the Israeli military. The only country that has the potential to stop Israel is Iran. The complication is that Arab states are suspicious of the Islamic Republic. The Gulf monarchies are western aligned and see Iran as a security risk. Hamas has released hostages, but 24 are thought to be imprisoned in Gaza. A deal was proposed that these hostages would be released if Israel ends the war. The offer was refused. The blowback could be immense. Citizens from other Arab states could come to the Gaza Strip to participate in armed resistance. If Arab leaders look pusillanimous in the face of Israeli aggression, anti-government protests could breakout. Palestine is fighting now to resist the last major outpost of settler colonialism. The war crimes in the Gaza Strip prove Israel never wanted peace, only conquest.      

Ibrahim Traore Seeks A New Path For Burkina Faso

 

Ibrahim Traore wants Burkina Faso to have a more dynamic and impactful role in African affairs. The young leader seems similar to Thomas Sankara. A Pan-Africanist revival could be underway. Countries such as Mali and Niger are also taking a different approach to foreign policy and the affairs of Africa. The Alliance of Sahel states was formed to counter ECOWAS. Simultaneously, measures have been taken to remove French military encroachment and fight terrorist organizations. The AES is the reaction to neocolonial imperialism and armed groups. Traore does have an anti-imperialist political position. However, his economic stances are not well known. Traore does see poverty and the exploitation of the nation as an injustice. Yet, he has never expressed any Marxist or socialist ideas. Burkina Faso now has a leader that is growing in popularity. The reason has to do with genuine change to the political system. The youth in particular desire new leadership. The majority of African leaders are much older. Ibrahim Traore is one of the youngest heads of state in the world. Burkina Faso is going to be the more significant partner in the Alliance of Sahel states. Leaving ECOWAS demonstrates a shift. Burkina Faso is asserting its national sovereignty and being more active in the West African  region. Burkina Faso could also be more involved in the African Union. Overtime, this revived Pan-African sentiment could spread to other parts of the continent.       

The World Economy And The Reaction To Tariffs

 

The United States of America has imposed tariffs on multiple countries. This impacted the stock market causing a degree of alarm. The trade war with China never ended. The Biden administration did not make an attempt to reverse Trump's economic policies from 2017. Mexico, Canada, and the European Union countries are going to see an increase in tariffs on their products coming into the United States. The response from France, the United Kingdom, and Germany was to impose tariffs of their own in retaliation. What the Trump administration is trying to do is exploit economically counties of Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. The funds that come from tariffs those believe will enable the government to increase revenue without federal income tax. The problem is that the United States does not have the manufacturing base. To an extent the country has been deindustrialized from globalization. Inflation is not under control and higher prices on goods causes more challenges for the public. Developing nations are going to be disproportionately effected. Consumers might begin to panic buy various items. The corporate elite are not going to face any hardship. Tariffs can indirectly benefit the wealthiest business owners. Foreign products are going to disadvantaged to favor American goods. Consumers around the world are going to pay more for food, clothing, cars, and other services. The new wave of tariffs causes concerns about a coming economic crisis.    

African Union Attempts To Solve The South Sudan Crisis

 

South Sudan could be falling into civil war. The African Union has sent mediators to avert the crisis. This is not the first time the African Union was involved in Sudan. There was an AU mission in Darfur. The current crisis was sparked by the Neur White Army. The escalation went further with the arrest Riek Machar. The basis of the arrest was that Machar was connected to the Neur White Army. The new tension has an ethnic element with Neur and Dinka. Most of the current fighting is occurring in the Upper Nile state. The African union mediators want to see the 2018 peace deal remain in place. The reason for the concern is that a South Sudanese civil war would merge with other conflicts. Chad and Ethiopia would be effected by refugees fleeing fighting. Uganda also is a major factor in regional power. President Yoweri Museveni came to Juba to express support for President Salva Kiir Mayadit. Uganda is exploiting the internal struggles to gain more influence in East Africa. The third Sudanese Civil War has reverberated with the flow of arms into South Sudan. President Salva Kiir Mayadit has been the only head of state since 2011. Power sharing was not going to work in a political system that is authoritarian. The African Union requested that Riek Machar's release, yet the government refuses to meet such as demand. More efforts for diplomatic solutions are being made.