🔅 The Horn of Africa Drought: A Climate Change-Fueled Disaster
Plus: ⚽ Who Will Host Afcon 2027?, 🇳🇬 Nigeria's Delay on Removing Fuel Subsidies, 🎙️ From Israel to Congo — How a Cover Song Went Viral, ☕ And much more...
Photo of the day: Libreville, Gabon
Markets: Year-to-Date
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Global Markets: It’s not looking good for the US economy. The Commerce Department just reported that economic growth in the US slowed to 1.1% in the first quarter of 2021. That’s a big dip from the 2.6% growth in the previous quarter. Even though consumers have been keeping the economy afloat with their spending, the mix of higher interest rates and rising prices is pushing the US into a moderate recession in the second half of the year, according to analysts. And it’s not just economic experts that are worried. Businesses have been cutting back on investments, while banks are becoming more hesitant to lend.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
CLIMATE
The Horn of Africa Drought: A Climate Change-Fueled Disaster
It’s been a long five years for the Horn of Africa.
And a newly released analysis by the World Weather Attribution team found that rising greenhouse gas emissions are to blame.
What did the analysis find?
The analysis found that in a 1.2C degree cooler world, the combination of low rainfall and evapotranspiration “would not have led to drought at all.”
It also determined that climate change has made the Horn’s long rains from March to May twice as likely to underdeliver, and its short rains from October to December wetter.
It’s all been made worse by La Nina, an ocean phenomenon resulting from unusually cold water in the equatorial Pacific that’s known to cause below-average short rains in East Africa.
All in all, it means that climate change has made the current drought 100 times more likely.
Any good news on the horizon?
The good news is that the region is now starting to receive some rain. And although it will take far more to help farmers and pastoralists recover, it’s still positive that it’s finally receiving some moisture.
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OTHER HEADLINES
Across the Continent
⚽ Who Will Host Afcon 2027? | A joint bid by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania is in the running for the 2027 African Cup of Nations, but they’ve got some stiff competition from the likes of Algeria, Botswana, and Egypt. Botswana’s bid was initially a joint one, but Namibia dropped out last minute due to financial concerns. The East African countries are hoping to join forces and get the nod, and we'll find out who gets to host the tournament by June or July this year.
🇳🇬 Nigeria's Delay on Removing Fuel Subsidies | Nigeria has given its citizens a bit of breathing room on the fuel prices front, with the government suspending its plan to remove subsidies in June. This comes as a relief to a lot of people in Africa’s biggest economy, especially since the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu had plans to cut subsidies immediately upon taking office. The government had already set aside a whopping $7.3 billion to cover subsidies until mid-2023, but it looks like they’ve decided to extend the timeline a bit. Good news for Nigerians, but bad news for their refineries, which are mostly out of order. Looks like the country will have to continue relying on imports for petroleum products for now.
🎙️ From Israel to Congo: How a Cover Song Went Viral | Noy Meirson was just another singer uploading her cover songs to YouTube, until she woke up one day to find out she had the most listened-to song in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It all started with a cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” and soon enough, she was getting messages from DRC, followed by a slew of paparazzi, interviews, and fans wanting selfies. Talk about an unexpected hit! Meirson was blown away by the experience, and when she visited Congo, she discovered that even people living in the remote villages, who had no access to electricity, radios, or TVs, recognized her and sang her cover. It turns out that the song has a personal significance for Meirson, as it helped her to cope with the trauma she experienced during her service in the Israeli Defense Force. Meirson’s story shows how music has the power to connect people from all over the world, and that sometimes a simple cover song can be more powerful than you think.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“Do not blame God for creating the tiger, just thank Him for not giving it wings.”
— Ethiopian Proverb.