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In this podcast, our experts discuss the risks of traveling without a mask.

RANE Insights on COVID-19: Where Are New Variants Percolating?

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People wait at the international arrivals gate at London’s Heathrow Airport on Nov. 28, 2021. The United Kingdom recently imposed new travel restrictions following the discovery of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. 

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Once the initial panic subsides, governments will likely scale back their response for fear of causing more economic disruptions and political backlash.

Enter Omicron: A COVID-Weary World Reckons With a New Variant

COVID-19

2020 Second-Quarter Forecast

Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>Sub-Saharan Africa is a study in diversity. Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, the region is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources. It&rsquo;s no surprise that it captured the imagination of Europe&rsquo;s earliest explorers &mdash; and that it continues to capture the imagination of current world powers eager to exploit it. And yet despite the region&rsquo;s diversity, Sub-Saharan African countries have common challenges &mdash; transnational terrorism, rapid population growth, endemic poverty and corruption &mdash; that prevent them from capitalizing on their economic potential. The coming years will be critical for the region, especially as its political institutions mature in a rapidly globalizing world.</p>

2020 Annual Forecast

2019 Fourth-Quarter Forecast

2019 Third-Quarter Forecast

2019 Second-Quarter Forecast

2019 Annual Forecast

2018 Fourth-Quarter Forecast

2018 Second-Quarter Forecast

2018 Annual Forecast

2017 Fourth-Quarter Forecast

The Suitors of Sub-Saharan Africa

The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) won 51 percent of the vote in Botswana's Oct. 23 general election, securing 29 of the 57 total seats in the country's National Assembly, Al Jazeera reported Oct. 25. 

Botswana: Ruling Party Wins General Election

Old Leaders in a New Africa

Ian Khama stepped down as president of Botswana on March 31, handing the country to his deputy, Mokgweetsi Masisi, after a decade at the helm, Reuters reported.

Botswana: President Leaves Office After Decade In Power

Lesotho

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The Southern African Development Community halted its activities in Lesotho over a disagreement over the death of former Gen. Maaparankoe Mahao, News24 reported Jan. 19.

Lesotho: South African Development Community Suspends Activities

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After two weeks of negotiations, representatives of nearly 200 countries have approved the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit the extent of climate change in the coming decades, The Telegraph reported Dec. 12.

France: Delegates Approve Paris Climate Change Deal

President Ian Khama's Botswana Democratic Party won 33 of 57 parliamentary seats Oct. 26, which will give Khama another five-year term, RIA Novosti reported.

Botswana: President's Party Wins Elections

African Union

The African Union urged its members to unite against criminal proceedings at the International Criminal Court against sitting presidents, according to a statement released by the 54-nation bloc following a summit in Addis Ababa attended by 34 leaders, World Bulletin and AP reported.

Africa: African Union Urges Opposition To International Criminal Court

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan: Presidents Meet

Saudi Arabia: Saudis Held In Syrian Jails

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A view of the Register in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

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The administrative center of the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.

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A horse grazes in front of Kara-Kul lake in the Chon-Ak-Suu valley, 300 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

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Botswana is a sparsely populated, landlocked country in southern Africa bordered by Zimbabwe to the east, Namibia to the west, South Africa to the south and Zambia to the north. Compared to many sub-Saharan countries, Botswana has excelled at achieving political stability. For decades, the country has gained accolades for its democratic traditions and stability relative to its neighbors. Among other things, this may be due to Botswana's relatively small population, few ethnic divisions and concerted efforts from the country's leaders.     Botswana's main geographic challenge is its landlocked status. The lack of port access increases the cost of doing business and, most notably, the costs of imports and exports. This has negatively impacted Botswana's mining industry, which remains the country's most lucrative sector. Rich in diamonds, nickel, copper and other minerals, Botswana is forced to use transport corridors through neighboring countries to access markets beyond its borders. In addition, the country's dependence on natural resources increases its vulnerability to fluctuations in commodity prices.     Like all landlocked countries, it is imperative for Botswana to manage its relationship with its neighbors. This has meant Botswana must grapple with the hegemon of its region, South Africa, though their shared status as former British colonies has spurred ties and infrastructure connections between the two. Since the end of the Cold War and the start of the post-Apartheid era in South Africa, these ties have only increased as Botswana has firmly integrated itself into South Africa's economy and infrastructure network. In 2000, for example, Botswana was a founding member of the Southern African Development Community's Free Trade Area.

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South African and African National Congress President Cyril Ramaphosa at the ANC's 110th anniversary celebrations Jan. 8, 2022, at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Divisions within the ANC are likely to inhibit Ramaphosa's ability to pass structural economic reforms but in our baseline scenario, South Africa will avoid a major debt crisis before 2024.

Reforms Continue Under the ANC, but With Little Progress

ANC Divisions Deepen, Reforms Stall

A United ANC Implements Structural Reforms

How Does the ANC Political Crisis Affect South African Economic Policy by 2024?

SITUATION REPORTS

Botswana: Ruling Party Wins General Election

Botswana: President Leaves Office After Decade In Power

Lesotho: South African Development Community Suspends Activities

France: Delegates Approve Paris Climate Change Deal

Botswana: President's Party Wins Elections

Africa: African Union Urges Opposition To International Criminal Court

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan: Presidents Meet

Saudi Arabia: Saudis Held In Syrian Jails

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