An Africanist Perspective

The end of “post-apartheid South Africa” and the birth of normal and better politics

So far the rainbow nation has been a sterling example of reconciliation and peaceful decolonization. Now the hard work of doing normal bare-knuckle…

Aug 14 • Ken Opalo

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July 2026

Book Review (3/26): The Political Economy of Rwanda's Rise (by Pritish Behuria)

On developmentalist state-building and its impacts on business-state relations.

Jul 28 • Ken Opalo

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Why is it so difficult (and crazy expensive) to fly within Africa?

Thinking through the economics and politics of connectivity in a vast Continent

Jul 16 • Ken Opalo

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The mechanics of building strong states in 21st century Africa

On models of state-building and their applicability to the African context

Jul 3 • Ken Opalo

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June 2026

How Sahelian (and African) militaries can get better at fighting and winning wars

African states will continue to struggle against non-state armed actors unless the region’s militaries undertake significant organizational and…

Jun 23 • Ken Opalo

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Book Review (2/26): How Africa Works by Joe Studwell

On the past and future of African growth and development

Jun 12 • Ken Opalo

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May 2026

A caution against faddist approaches to industrial policy (the old industrial policy rules still apply)

It’s a good thing that World Bank is finally OK with industrial policy, but policymakers shouldn’t let themselves be constrained by the coming…

May 29 • Ken Opalo

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March 2026

African policymakers should be clear-eyed about the short and medium term impacts of the U.S./Israel-Iran war

Policymakers should prepare for the fact that the coming economic shocks will have long lags; and that the cadence of global crises will likely pick up.

Mar 17 • Ken Opalo

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February 2026

Conflict in the Horn of Africa isn’t inevitable. People can choose peace.

Ideas matter. And it's high time key players in the Horn (politicians, academics, journalists, analysts, and military strategists) rejected being…

Feb 28 • Ken Opalo

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How African policymakers should prepare for the coming commodity boom

Projections point to elevated commodity prices over the next decade. Here's how African policymakers can avoid mistakes of the past.

Feb 17 • Ken Opalo

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Book Review (1/26): Mahmood Mamdani’s Slow Poison

A journey through Uganda’s stunted political development

Feb 4

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January 2026

The international development community isn’t adapting fast enough to official aid cuts. That’s a big problem.

On the urgent need for a pivot to spending more time trying to supporting specific countries interested in boosting their state capacity; and catalyzing…

Jan 27 • Ken Opalo

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