Feature/OPED
Russia-Africa: Dynamics of Educational and Humanitarian Diplomacy
By Professor Maurice Okoli
For this discussion, it is necessary to set the premise using the United Nations. In UN resolutions, codes and standards, the governments have agreed that humanitarian assistance should be allocated according to the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. This normative framework, however, must not lead to an incorrect assumption that humanitarian aid is divorced from political power.
But instead, the decision as to where, how and why to provide humanitarian assistance is part of more extensive foreign policy considerations which are guided by both norms and interests, such as geopolitical concerns or the aim of a donor to demonstrate benevolent behaviour.
The good humanitarian donor-ship initiative was set up in 2003 as a forum for best practices and to discuss to agree on principles of giving humanitarian aid. Given the current geopolitical environment, these questions are still pursued with vigour in different countries around the world.
Based on this premise, therefore, in discussing the potential for cooperation between Russia and African countries in the humanitarian sphere and what needs to be done to improve the effectiveness of contacts between people in Africa and Russia, it is essential to note that humanitarian principles are embedded in the Russian culture as people of humanity. The values and culture of Russia influence the country’s concept of humanitarian assistance. Russia believes in the oneness of all human beings and a gift without expectation, the willingness of the strong to help the weak.
At this point, I would like to remind and emphasize that we are witnessing an emerging new world order distinctively different from the Soviet days, and the catchphrase is now such new initiatives, partnership and participation. Undoubtedly the new realities are pushing African countries to diversify their post-colonial relations with external players. Today, Africa is now the centre of attraction as significant powers are moving into Africa, and Russia’s potential for cooperation with African countries in the humanitarian sphere is enormous.
The decolonization of African countries in the 1950s and early 1960s created an opportunity for the Soviet Union after the second world War. As the process continued, the Kremlin planned its policy agenda for the newly liberated African countries.
That policy agenda could be categorized into four parts:
- To gain a lasting presence in the African continent.
- To have a voice in African affairs.
- To undermine Western influence in the African continent by equating capitalism with imperialism.
- To keep communist China out of the African continent.
These were the four pillars of the Soviet Union’s African policy from 1945 to 1991 when the Soviet Union suddenly collapsed.
As we know, the interest of a nation determines the form of relation it maintains with other states. This gives credence to the notion that there is neither a permanent friend nor a permanent enemy in international diplomacy. It is the interest of the country that is permanent.
For many African countries, the willingness to support Russia goes back to the cold war when the Soviet Union provided military and economic assistance to the liberation movements across the continent.
This reservoir of goodwill created by the Soviet Union today forms part of the foundation for modern Russia’s relationship with African countries.
Since the Soviet collapse and the global changes happening around the world have obviously brought new challenges, threats and opportunities. Despite that, the Russian Federation has successfully been implementing cultural and humanitarian cooperation programmes with various African countries, including contacts in education, science, culture, media, sports and music.
This type of cooperation with African countries, especially in education, science and technology, is essential in resolving African problems, particularly overcoming social inequalities and also the involvement of women and youth in sustainable economic development. African graduates educated in Russia will contribute to their respective individual countries to enter a new scientific and technological development stage.
This factor of strength pertaining to the training of specialists and professionals has still remained from the Soviet days. It beholds us to strengthen this component within the policy framework to make cooperation truly beneficial for Africa. Many African students are presently in Russia, including about four thousand whose education is funded by the Russian Government. Of course, there are many studies on private contracts in the regions of the Russian Federation.
For context, we understand that Russia and Africa have taken a unique plan to develop partnerships, in tandem, between pan-African universities and Russian universities. A closer look at this kind of cooperation shows a huge potential for exploring new ways to boost bilateral relationships. The educational programmes should not be limited to traditional or regular students but must include a wide range of specialised short-term courses, as a factual backup to acquiring new (upgrading) knowledge, for a multitude of specific target groups instrumental in bolstering bilateral cooperation.
We have to acknowledge the fact that there have been tremendous efforts in Africa to promote higher education, but these efforts are still behind the global trends. With the population of Africa growing to over 1.3 billion, it is surprising the continent produces fewer research publications than Canada, a country with a population of 37.8 million. The United States has an estimated 380 million. Therefore, Russia-African cooperation in education will further provide multi-dimensional chances to undertake knowledge-based research and educational fellowships in Russia and Africa.
The next significant point is that – Russia also has indicated an interest in developing and organizing the practical training of African diplomats at the Diplomatic Academy of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. This could serve as an interesting place to learn and exchange the best diverse practices and valuable principles of contemporary diplomacy, particularly in the emerging multipolar world.
According to my research – Russia currently ranks 6th in the number of international students, with an estimated 35,000 coming from Africa. We know that there are foreign students from Asia and Latin America. As part of the expansion of humanitarian cooperation, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia has further announced doubling the number of budget places in Russian universities for African students.
Other programmes in the pipeline include the opening of Russian educational centres in Africa and the training of national teachers to staff African secondary schools. I would like to note here that Russkiy Mir has 10 offices in Africa. But there is still room for expansion. Compared to its counterpart, China’s Confucius Institute operates in 25 African countries, half the continent.
Speaking at an international parliamentary conference titled Russia-Africa in a Multipolar World on 20 March 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow has written off the debts of African states worth more than 20 billion dollars. He further said that the trade turnover between Russia and African countries is growing yearly, reaching almost 18 billion dollars in 2022.
Writing off $20 billion debts of the African counties is one the most extraordinary humanitarian art by Russian towards African countries, and African countries, through press releases and official statements, publicly acknowledged this wonderful gesture with tremendous appreciation and feelings of admiration and gratitude.
The humanitarian crisis in the African continent remains one of the world’s most severe, with record levels of displacement and suffering, and it is hopeful that Russia, in its long-standing humanitarian commitment, will design more programmes to assist categories of people such as:
– Displaced people and those affected by conflict and disaster.
– Programme to help reduce violence against girls, children, and women in Africa.
– Help those who suffered rebuild their livelihood and support community resilience.
– Help separated children, trauma survivors, and children with acute malnutrition.
At this point of our analysis, it is very useful to quote Professor Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director at the Valdai Discussion Club and Editor-in-Chief of Russia in the Global Affairs journal. He is the powerful Chair of the State Commission on Defense and Foreign Policy.
In his words, notwithstanding all things, Africa has its own strengths and weaknesses based on history, but the balance is positive in this new multipolar world. Most potential success also depends largely on African countries themselves and their ability to build up relations with outside powers on a rational and calculated basis in the changing global situation.
Professor Maurice Okoli is a fellow at the Institute for African Studies and the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences. He is also a fellow at the North-Eastern Federal University in Russia
By Tony Ogunlowo
‘Titanic’ can mean something that is very big, gigantic or enormous and it was also the name of a ship that sank on its maiden voyage.
When the Titanic sank in 1912 it sank due to a number of avoidable factors: a ship deemed unsinkable that wasn’t fitted with watertight compartments, a ‘unprofessional’ seasoned captain who was apparently bullied into going at full speed through known ice-berg strewn waters, lack of common binoculars for the deck watch and the unavailability of enough life boats for all the passengers.
This all put together, as they say, was a recipe for disaster. Red flags were ignored.
Translating this to President Tinubu’s modern-day Nigeria, the avoidable factors that can sink the country are way too obvious.
Nigerians have long enjoyed the benefits of fuel subsidy. Costly as it is to maintain it’s enabled the economy to keep running by keeping the cost of things low. It’s removal, as can be seen, has created a domino effect, as the experts predicted, resulting in the prices of even the basic commodities skyrocketing as everyone passes on the additional costs.
With inflation currently at 32.7% and still rising, things are only going to keep on getting more and more expensive. As a result, the new minimum wage of N70,000 will have less purchasing power than the previous 2021 minimum wage of N30,000. If fuel subsidy removal was meant to boost the economy it has done the opposite and will stagnate any efforts to kickstart it.
The governments inability to control corruption or severely punish corrupt officials which is robbing the country’s coffers of billions and billions of Naira every year is a stumbling block for development.
If a corrupt government official who built 750 houses with stolen funds or an ex-governor accused of misappropriating N80 billion are allowed to walk around freely, supposedly on bail, without fear of eventual conviction it questions the message the government is sending out to future looters: if the culprits were in Russia or China the outcome will be totally different.
Even though an austerity economic policy may seem harsh like it was designed to rob Peter to pay Paul, it should be short, sharp hardship with green pastures in the foreseeable future – not ever! A good start will be to cut down on the number of foreign loans being obtained every year as their repayment can take a huge chunk out of the country’s annual income.
The new tax laws are long overdue and it should include that VAT earned in a state stays in that state: so, if your state doesn’t generate any VAT (- such as from the sale of alcohol products) you don’t get to share in what other states have collected.
Insecurity in the country is not something that started yesterday. Previous governments have blood on their hands for not nipping these insurrections in the bud before they grew to become monstrosities. You don’t pat yourself on the back, like the Nigerian Army likes to do believing you have the threat ‘under control’ – you eliminate the threat completely using what ever means necessary.
Unless the order (given by ‘Somebody’) is not to destroy them completely and to quote the late Sani Abacha,”…any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, a government official has a hand in it..”, no wonder Boko Haram continues to flourish and bandits like Turji Bello continue to taut the government. When the armed robber Lawrence Anini did something similar in 1986 he was fished out within months, tried and executed.
As I’ve written before the Nigerian Police Force is long past its sell by date and considering the ever growing population of Nigeria with its associated acts of anti-social behaviour its time to seriously consider devolving the NPF into state-run outfits. The growing popularity of state-run security outfits, such as Amotekun, proves this is feasible and effective.
Considering the fact the country is going through severe economic hardship the President, himself, should curb frivolous spending where possible: no more new Presidential yachts or planes ( – that includes the new one for the VP), a cap on ridiculous-no-real-job SA and SSA appointments and most important of all a cap on ALL politicians salaries and perks (which is to say if politicians are patriotic enough they’ll agree to a pay cut, forgo some of their benefits and pay for their own jaunts abroad).
Implementing the Steve Oronsaye Report which recommends merging and closing of ministries etc that has been passed over by every President since President Goodluck commissioned it in 2011 will cut government operating costs even further. This should not just be at Presidential level but extended to all the states: this will not just streamline the bloated and largely inefficient civil service but will also weed out ghost workers and white elephant project.
The ‘japa’ movement which the government is trying to discourage should be allowed to continue. It’s morally wrong for a government that can’t provide suitable employment for its citizens to try and prevent them from seeking opportunities abroad : ‘japa’ is not just limited to Nigerians, it’s a worldwide phenomenon.
People, British, American, Filipinos, are migrating worldwide to where ever there are opportunities for them to prosper. That’s the way the world works now: nobody is going to stay in a ‘sh*t-hole’ country if there are no opportunities for them to grow. Scr3w patriotism! It’s every man for himself! So, if a country can’t provide adequate employment opportunities people will pack their bags and ‘japa’! And if you restrict them from leaving the country what are they going to do? Get up to mischief – 419, cultism, kidnapping!
These same people send money back to their home countries all the time: Nigerians in diaspora in 2023 alone sent home more than $19.5 Billion Dollars. This is a huge injection of foreign currency for a country that desperately needs it.
So, just like the Titanic the warning signs are there and the inevitable that will happen should they be ignored. The question is which way is President Tinubu going to go. This is what I call the ‘Titanic Wahala’, ignore the obvious and the proverbial will hit the fan, sooner or later.
Feature/OPED
From Rental Shifts to AI Innovations: The Evolving Landscape of South Africa’s Property Sector
By Waldo Marcus
The past year has been challenging for property investors, with a sluggish economy slowing residential rental escalations in most regions in 2024.
Rental escalations are likely to be applied cautiously in 2025 to avoid vacancies, particularly given the potential for a decline in demand for rental properties as tenants, motivated by lower interest rates, migrate to property owners.
Lower rental returns will see investors looking at alternative ways to generate improved income from their investments. Short-term holiday rentals have impacted rental prices in tourist destinations, with higher rental income achieved in peak holiday times, pricing out consumers looking for long-term rental property. This trend, especially in the Western Cape, has some lobbyists calling for stricter regulations to protect consumers from inflated rental prices and a lack of affordable rental supply. SA Tourism has requested better transparency from platform providers. The risk for bond providers is that investors are financing these properties based on current tourism trends and rental income, which relies heavily on the success of platforms like Airbnb.
Consumption changes are driving commercial property growth
The commercial property sector grew in 2024 and this positive trajectory is expected to continue in 2025 as interest rates are lowered. Property developers are focusing on convenient neighbourhood retail and merging with online retailer needs. In urban areas, convenience and easy access are prioritised, while larger developments are succeeding in rural, underserved areas.
Industrial properties, particularly logistics and warehousing in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, continue to outperform other commercial sectors. Secure and well-serviced industrial parks are in demand and expected to grow. However, traditional industrial areas around Johannesburg and the Pretoria CBD face a value collapse due to security risks and inadequate infrastructure maintenance to service the nodes.
ESG is likely to become a high-value agenda item for commercial property investors in 2025 to ensure compliance and reduce operating costs. The latest SAPOA Operating Cost Report reveals that 29% of operating expenses go to electricity costs and 23% to property taxes.
The risk of leakages
Water shortages are the next big challenge, posing a significant risk to property owners. Government and municipalities must act before it becomes another catastrophic reality like Eskom. Addressing water shortages is a dual challenge requiring both the building of and better maintenance of water infrastructure, including sewage treatment plants, and longer-term, the creation of additional reservoirs to keep up with population growth and mitigate climate change risks.
Leakages extend beyond water. Revenue leakages include missed recoveries, escalations, lease changes, and renewal options, to name a few. Increased regulatory requirements have resulted in more time being spent on compliance, and this is not expected to ease. Regulatory and compliance changes and demands on property-related companies remove valuable focus and resources from internal due diligence and processes to prevent revenue and recovery leakages. We predict more organisations will invest in technology resources to identify revenue leakages and focus on tools to drive operating costs down.
The Revolution of AI in the Property Sector
Technology – particularly AI – has become indispensable to the property sector, from AI-powered marketing and presentation tools to automated management systems. While these advancements streamline operations and enhance decision-making, they also introduce new challenges, particularly in data security and risk management.
As we move into 2025, property companies must carefully consider the appropriate balance between AI and human expertise. By striking this balance and implementing robust data protection measures, organisations can harness the power of AI while preserving their brand authenticity and competitive edge.
The Necessity of diversity in Decision-Making
Property investment is a complex and often high-stakes endeavour. As a fixed asset with emotional and financial implications, property valuations and transactions can be challenging. Recent shifts in market perception have further complicated the landscape, with divergent opinions on property’s potential as a wealth generator or alternately, a financial drain.
To navigate this complex market, accurate and reliable data is essential. Mitigating bias and leveraging diverse perspectives allows investors to make more informed decisions. Access to neutral, data-driven insights from respected sources can help uncover hidden opportunities and avoid costly mistakes.
As the property market evolves, tools and information available to investors must also adapt. Companies of all sizes are increasingly recognizing the importance of accurate, accessible, and representative data. They are investing in reliable external data sources to gain a competitive edge and make more strategic decisions.
The lingering effects of high interest rates
Persistently high interest rates raised the cost of credit and placed additional pressure on already strained consumers and businesses. They also dissuaded residential property acquisitions, leading to fewer home loan applications and a decline in the transfer of both bonded and unbonded properties in 2024. Lightstone data reveals that first-time buyer volumes slumped by 20% in 2023.
While welcome, the first two interest rate cuts will take time to filter through to residential property acquisitions. Encouragingly, demand from first-time home buyers appears to be recovering slowly with ooba Home Loans noting a rise in applications to 49.6% in September 2024, the highest reading since November 2022. We expect residential property sales to accelerate in 2025 as interest rate relief starts to filter through, albeit at a slower pace in dysfunctional municipalities.
Individual investors are increasingly choosing to maintain smaller portfolios and using tax-efficient structures such as companies and trusts. TPN anticipates that this trend will persist into 2025. Demand for buy-to-let properties has risen since late 2021, particularly in the Western Cape, followed by the Eastern Cape and Tshwane. Although this trend is expected to continue, it may slow down around mid-2025 as demand shifts from rental properties to ownership.
Municipal performance linked to property value creation
Service delivery quality, infrastructure and the maintenance of that infrastructure impact the value of property types. Well-run municipalities will continue to attract investment. Since 2020, semigration has highlighted the successes and failures of provinces and cities, resulting in decreased revenue collections for some of South Africa’s largest municipalities.
Safety and security continue to influence where South Africans choose to live and work, impacting both the residential and commercial property landscape. Mixed-use developments, secure estates, sectional title properties, and commercial parks offering efficient ways to provide enhanced security, service delivery, productive infrastructure, and maintenance spending will continue to be in demand.
An important consideration that will become increasingly significant in 2025 is the quality and accessibility of the lifestyle available in certain areas. Well-maintained and safe parks, public spaces, beaches, dams, lakes, and other recreational facilities will make these areas more appealing to tenants, businesses, and investors.
The outlook for property KPIs
Residential vacancies are expected to increase in the latter half of 2025 due to lower interest rates and improved consumer confidence. Office and retail vacancies are likely to remain stable in the first half of 2025 but will decrease should business confidence improve and if GDP targets are met. Industrial property vacancies will remain low as demand remains strong, especially in the Western Cape and infrastructure development nodes in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
Rental escalations for commercial and residential properties will improve in the first half of 2025. Investors will be keen to enhance their returns after a period of sluggish economic performance with slightly healthier consumers offering the opportunity to grow rental income strategically.
The good standing of both commercial and residential tenants is expected to continue to improve as landlords use stricter vetting and collection strategies.
Rental property gross yields will, on average, stay the same as property values are expected to increase in line with rental income. The challenge for investors will be to keep operating costs down to maintain or improve net yields.
A favourable outlook for residential housing market
The outlook for the residential housing market is more favourable for 2025 than it has been for the past few years with the property market offering good value overall. The interest rate will likely be cut by a further 50bps by the third quarter of 2025, offering further relief for household finances and renewed activity at both the lower and upper ends of the market. More investments could see an increase in rental property supply and even a potential decline in rental demand as more consumers shift from renting to buying. We expect continued demand for well-managed rental properties.
Waldo Marcus is a Director at TPN from MRI Software
Ever wondered where to find trendy fashion, cutting-edge tech, or stylish home decor at unbeatable prices? Look no further than Temu.
What is Temu?
Temu, an online marketplace sensation, has taken the world by storm with its vast array of products, competitive prices, and user-friendly platform.
Since its 2022 launch, it has quickly become a global sensation, boasting hundreds of millions of downloads and catering to over 80 markets. Now, Nigerian shoppers can experience the Temu magic firsthand.
This guide will walk you through the Temu shopping experience, ensuring a smooth journey from product discovery to delivery.
Step 1: CREATE AN ACCOUNT TO UNLOCK SMART SHOPPING
The registration process
Joining Temu is super easy! Whether you prefer the traditional approach or the convenience of social media, Temu has you covered. For the classic signup, simply visit temu.com or download the mobile app, enter your email or phone number, create a strong password, and confirm your details. It’s as easy as that!
For social media savvy, link your Google, Apple, or Facebook account and skip the hassle of creating a new login. With Temu’s streamlined process, you can spend less time logging in and more time exploring the incredible deals awaiting you.
Mobile app vs. desktop: Which platform offers the best shopping experience?
Both the mobile app and desktop website offer a seamless shopping experience. However, for a truly dynamic and interactive shopping journey, we recommend the mobile app. You will enjoy real-time price alerts, exclusive mobile deals, and easy order tracking.
For a more deliberate shopping experience, the desktop website is the perfect choice. With larger screens and easy-to-use comparison features, you can take your time and make informed decisions.
Step 2: BROWSING AND SHOPPING LIKE A PRO
Navigating Temu’s vast selection
Temu offers a vast selection of over 200 product categories, from fashion and tech to home goods and beauty.
To get started, simply use the search bar function to find specific items or explore categories, and refine your search with filters for price, colour, size, and more. Sort items by relevance, price, or newest arrivals to find the perfect products.
Temu’s ranking system highlights popular and trusted products, often based on customer reviews and sales trends. To make informed choices, compare prices, features, and reviews before purchasing.
Best-selling products
Temu’s best-selling products are constantly updated based on real-time sales data.
Other metrics beyond rankings
Temu goes beyond traditional product rankings, focusing on the performance and quality of its providers. By considering factors like historic ratings, repurchase records, follower numbers, and new product releases, consumers can make informed decisions. This approach not only empowers buyers but also incentivises providers to deliver high-quality, diverse products and build strong customer relationships.
Providers can earn recognition directly on their product pages by ranking highly in categories like Top Sales, Top Rated, Top Repurchased, Top Followed, or New Arrival. These rankings are based on the provider’s performance over the past 30 days and are updated daily to ensure the most current information is displayed to consumers.
Finding your perfect fit
Temu provides detailed size guides to help shoppers find the perfect fit, particularly for clothing and accessories. These guides often include measurements, comparison charts, and sometimes even virtual fitting tools to make your online shopping experience seamless.
Save more, shop smart
Simplify your shopping and maximise your savings with Temu. All discounts are displayed directly on product pages. For the best deals, explore the platform’s Lightning Deals. To ensure satisfaction, pay attention to details, read descriptions, verify measurements, understand features, and consult seller ratings and reviews.
Step 3: PLACING AN ORDER
Shopping safely and securely
Temu offers a variety of payment methods, including popular credit cards and digital wallets like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Discover, JCB and Diners Club. To prioritise your security, the platform employs advanced security measures, adhering to strict industry standards to protect your information.
Step 4: FAST AND RELIABLE DELIVERY
Hassle-free delivery, every time
Temu prioritises customer satisfaction by providing real-time order tracking and reliable shipping options, including free standard shipping and express delivery. The platform guarantees on-time delivery and offers full refunds for damaged or undelivered orders.
At the moment, Temu is in partnership with local logistics firms, such as Flyt Express, SKYNET, and Speedaf to make delivery to Nigerian shoppers on time.
Step 5: AFTER-SALES SERVICE – BEYOND THE PURCHASE
Returns and exchanges made easy
Temu provides a seamless return process with its Purchase Protection Program. If you’re unsatisfied with a purchase, log into your account, select the item, provide a reason, and submit a return request. Temu will provide a prepaid shipping label.
You have a 90-day return window for most items. Once processed, you can choose a refund to Temu credit or original payment. For exchanges, return the item and place a new order. Temu also offers refund policies for no updates and no deliveries. Check Temu’s specific return policy for the latest information.
Beyond shopping: A greener future
Temu is committed to sustainability. By shopping on Temu, you contribute to a greener future. The platform’s Tree Planting Program and combined shipping initiatives help reduce environmental impact.
Smart shopping simplified
Temu has transformed online shopping, offering a wide range of affordable products and a user-friendly experience.
Follow these simple steps to easily navigate the platform and discover your next favourite find. If you need assistance, Temu’s customer support team is available 24/7.
So, shop with confidence on Temu!
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