ADEKEYE ADEBAJO: Six powerhouses set to shape Africa’s future
Elections, unemployment and internal problems in SA, the DRC, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Algeria have the potential to destabilise regions on the continent
The new year 2019 will be defined by the tale of six leviathans: SA, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Algeria. What happens in these countries will have a huge effect on the continent’s fortunes. SA — the leviathan on the Limpopo — holds elections in May. The only question is whether the governing ANC will be able to mobilise its supporters to deliver a majority victory. With 55% of the black population living in poverty, government policies such as the minimum wage, land reform and social grants are designed to alleviate these problems. Despite economic stimulus and infrastructure and investment drives, the economy is, however, likely to continue its slow growth with a weak rand. This year also sees SA’s return to the UN Security Council for a two-year term. Its main priority will be the postelection political instability in the DRC — the leviathan on the Congo and geographically Africa’s second-largest state. SA and Angola have expended much...
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