🔅 Blaxit: Black Americans Leaving For Africa & South Africa's Election Countdown
Plus: Why a Migration Surge to Mexico & Russia's Grain Diplomacy
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Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five
Blaxit: The Ultimate "New Beginnings" Africa Package For Americans
A Blaxit movement is turning Black Americans' heads and GPS coordinates towards Africa. The New York Times takes a look at this new trend, that has families trading in their US zip codes for expansive (yet cheaper) homes halfway across the world.
This shift, however, is less about the financials and more about finding a community where "fitting in" isn't on the to-do list. The Covid pandemic and racial reckonings have only fast-tracked this exodus, proving that for some, the grass really is greener on the other side of the Atlantic.
With countries in Africa actively rolling out the welcome mat and offering citizenship, the continent is becoming the backdrop for a new chapter for many Black Americans.
But the article also tells you why the move isn't for everyone, and why many fail to thrive.
South Africa's May 29 Electoral Shake-Up
South Africa is heading for a rollercoaster election — now set for May 29 — that could see the African National Congress (ANC) losing its iron grip on power for the first time since the curtain fell on apartheid three decades ago. President Cyril Ramaphosa, a Mandela protege, is hoping to steer the ship through choppy waters for a second term, but the vessel seems to be taking on water from all sides.
In recent years, South Africa has sailed into storms of epic proportions, battling record unemployment waves, an electricity crisis sparking widespread blackouts, and a hurricane of corruption allegations that have left voters clinging to the wreckage of trust. The forecast isn't looking bright, with several polls predicting the ANC's vote share could plummet below the 50% mark for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.
If the ANC does lose its majority, it'll be forced to buddy up in a coalition with another party to keep Ramaphosa in the captain's seat. This would be uncharted territory for South Africa, which has never seen a coalition at the national helm due to the ANC's long-standing dominance.
The Great Migration: Africa to Mexico's Unexpected Surge
Mexico has become an epicentre for a massive uptick in African migration, with nearly 60,000 African migrants landing there in 2023, marking a ninefold increase from the previous year's 6,500 arrivals. According to Dana Graber Ladek from the UN's International Organisation of Migration, this diverse group hails from places like Guinea, Angola, Mauritania, Senegal, Nigeria, and Cameroon.Â
But why Mexico?Â
These migrants have their sights set on the American Dream, hoping to cross yet another border into the United States. It's a journey that comes with a hefty price tag, ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.
Russia's Grain Train: Putin's Gift for Africa
Russia has just put the finishing touches on a grand gesture of goodwill —or strategic diplomacy, depending on whom you ask. Moscow, under the watchful eye of Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev and the ever-strategic President Vladimir Putin, has successfully delivered 200,000 metric tonnes of grain, absolutely gratis, to six African nations.
Somalia and the Central African Republic got 50,000 tonnes each, while Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, and Eritrea got 25,000 tonnes each. This philanthropic feat comes on the heels of Putin's promise at a summit with African leaders last year.
Tanzania's Carbon Cash-In: A Billion-Dollar Bet
Tanzania is setting its sights high in the carbon trading game, aiming to rake in a billion dollars. Playing the role of Tanzania's financial forecaster, the environment minister has thrown a dazzling figure into the ring, backed by over 30 carbon trade project applications in their pipeline as of December. It seems Tanzania is ready to turn its green assets into greenbacks.
Food for Thought
“Better little than too little."
— Cameroonian Proverb