African Renaissance Vol. 18, (No. 3), September 2021
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ISSN : 1744-2532 E- ISSN 2516-5305
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Africa's burgeoning population and the inability to address its growing problems have branded the continent as the world's most troubled and underdeveloped continent. Inequality and rising income differences between African states and citizens have matched this, making some African states more desirable as migratory destinations. Migration within and across Africa is a known factor of hatred, insecurity, and violence among Africans in Africa. Apart from migration tensions, the emergence of Covid-19 has broken Africa's efforts to build its image and capabilities in the global system. The Covid-19 new normal has not only slowed down growth and development in Africa it has also impoverished lives and livelihoods. As a result, Africa is affected by difficulties that have tarnished its image in the global system. Poverty, rising unemployment, xenophobic violence, economic slump, religious and ethnic conflicts, climate change, land grab disputes, human trafficking, pandemics, inequality, crimes, insecurity, and terrorism are just a few of the issues that confront Africa.
As a result, while other continents grapple with ideas and solutions for addressing these difficulties, the African continent remains mainly broken by these challenges due to its lack of capacity and disarticulated social, political, and economic systems. Expectedly, politico-socio-economic tensions, pandemic outbreaks, violence, insecurity, and wars, often fueled by foreign and domestic elements, particularly parasitic, clueless, and morally bankrupt leadership, have weighed heavily on the African continent. While each African country faces unique challenges, the primary issue appears to be widespread feelings of, or a growing contempt for, the rule of law and fundamental human rights, which are the foundations of democracy. African societies struggle for justice and peace due to a leadership deficit expressed in contempt for the law, court rulings, and the silencing of opposition. It obstructs societal order and transformational progress. Social dysfunctions contribute to irregular and illegal migration between African states and beyond. Massive in-flows reduce the availability of social services in host African countries and can lead to hostile and xenophobic acts, as seen in South Africa.
Given these broad observations on challenges in Africa, this issue of the African Renaissance investigates how recurring socio-politico-economic beldams affect peace, growth, and development in Africa. It analyses how the Covid-19 new normal limits Africa from reaching sustainable development goals (SDGs). It is significant since the SDGs adequately capture all the challenges confronting Africa. Therefore, implementing the SDGs is a requirement for long-term growth in Africa. The African Renaissance has remained alive and strategic in providing solutions to some of these problems. The articles in this issue covered many of the contemporary challenges in Africa, such as the implication of the Covid-19 lockdown for security agents brutality, the effect of Covid-19 on a marginalized population in South Africa, public diplomacy and response to xenophobic incidents, leadership model, and ethnic conflicts in Nigeria, the impact of governance on improved budgeting and economic development in South Africa, Party-Switching in a Distributive State, land exploration without reward or compensation, migration, financialized agrarian primitive accumulation, operationalization of special economic zones among others. Collectively, these articles provide constructive insights into challenges and mitigation strategies for reestablishing peace and development in Africa.