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Africa: U.S. Tariffs Threaten to Undermine World Trade Organization

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1 week ago

April 13, 2025

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United Nations — As the Trump administration’s hostility towards the United Nations and other international organizations keeps growing, a New York Times columnist last week proposed what he frivolously described as “something a little incendiary”.
Maybe Trump could follow up on his non-appointment of Elise Stefanik as US Ambassador to the United Nations–who has been virulently anti-UN–by withdrawing the US from the United Nations entirely.
The UN’s 39-storeyed building, the Times columnist remarked, has “amazing views of the East River”–and said, rather sarcastically, it would be a great condo conversion- as a luxury apartment complex.
A White House Executive Order last February was titled “Withdrawing the United States from, and ending funding to certain United Nations organizations, and reviewing United States support to ALL international organizations.”
President Trump, who withdrew the US from the UN Human Rights Council, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Climate Treaty, has threatened to pull out of UNESCO and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East- and also to terminate US contracts with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome (which was later reversed and described as “a mistake”).
And could Trump reverse his withdrawals from UN agencies -as he did with tariffs? But that seems very unlikely.
Trump’s staggering US tariffs worldwide have not only threatened the longstanding ground rules in world trade but also undermined the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO), described as the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations.
Deborah Elms, head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation, which is focused on trade, was quoted as saying: “I would say the WTO is toast, but what matters now is how other members respond”.
“Do they stand up for the system? Or do they also ignore key principles, provisions and practices?”
In his unpredictable on-again, off-again decision-making, Trump backed down last week on most reciprocal tariffs for a period of 90 days, citing new talks with foreign nations, explaining his reversal. But China, he said, would not be included, and he raised tariffs on its exports to 125 percent.
Perhaps after 90 days, the tariffs will be at play once again, continuing to de-stabilize world trade and the global economy.
The move leaves a universal 10 percent tariff on all other countries except Canada and Mexico, which face separate duties. But it undoes some of the original tariffs — 20 percent on the European Union, 24 percent on Japan, 46 percent on Vietnam.
China has said it will impose reciprocal tariffs on all imports from the United States, escalating a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Mandeep S. Tiwana, Interim Co-Secretary-General CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations (CSOs), told IPS: “We are entering a dangerous age of values-free transactional diplomacy which is leading to the breakdown of the rules based international order”.
A lot of it, he pointed out, has to do with the rise of authoritarianism and populism over the past few years which has elevated political leaders who spread disinformation and rule by personality cult rather than established norms.
“Civil society and the independent media serve as important checks on the exercise of arbitrary power in the public interest but are being attacked in unprecedented ways,” he declared.
Sadly, humanity has been here before in the period prior to the start of the first and second world wars in the twentieth century, which caused immeasurable death and destruction.
Autocratic and populist regimes, he said, are deliberately undermining international norms that seek to create peaceful, just, equal and sustainable societies.
Notably, civil society organising and citizen action offer the last line of defence against the relentless assault on cherished ideals enshrined in constitutional and international law,” said Tiwana.
Asked if the rash of tariffs would lead to a global economic recession, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters April 8: “I’ve been clarifying my position about this issue time and time again. Trade wars are extremely negative. Nobody wins with a trade war. Everybody tends to lose”.
“And I’m particularly worried with the most vulnerable developing countries, in which the impact will be more devastating. I sincerely hope that we will have no recession, because a recession will have dramatic consequences, especially for the poorest people in the world,” he warned.
Dr Jim Jennings, president of Conscience International and Executive Director of US Academics for Peace, told IPS the widespread “Hands Off” protests in the US threaten to return the country to the decades of debate over tariffs that took place during the 19th Century. The issue then, as now, was protectionism–believed to enrich the manufacturing class.
Whereas the Whigs (today’s Republicans) wanted high tariffs, the idea of free trade as a way to reach prosperity was the mantra of the Democrats, who favored the working class.
President Lincoln favored tariffs, but by 1860 admitted that arguing for a protective tariff was unwise for political reasons–few people at that time favored it. Most Americans had come to realize that high tariffs were protecting the moneyed class and simply raise taxes for everybody. Lincoln knew he was unlikely to be elected President if tariffs were the key to his campaign.
Today’s bewildering day in-day out bluffs and threats by Mr. Trump means that the market will continue to bounce around. “Wall Street likes certainty, but the only certainty we can see is that the US economy is in the hands of amateurs”.
“While the idea of comparing our globalized economy to that of 1840-60 is problematic, with the world already teetering on the verge of WW III, a Trade War is the last thing we need,” declared Dr Jennings.
Andreas Bummel, Executive Director, Democracy Without Borders, told IPS “from the standpoint of democratic checks and balances, it is concerning that the US President apparently can unleash a trade war with most of the world’s countries while the US Congress simply looks on.”
But according to an Associated Press (AP) report April 9, the State Department has rolled back an undisclosed number of sweeping funding cuts to U.N. World Food Program emergency projects in 14 impoverished countries, saying it had terminated some of the contracts for life-saving aid “by mistake”.
“There were a few programs that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut, that have been rolled back and put into place,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.
Meanwhile, China has said it will retaliate by imposing reciprocal tariffs on all imports from the United States. “This practice of the U.S. is not in line with international trade rules, undermines China’s legitimate rights and interests, and is a typical unilateral bullying practice,” China’s finance ministry said in a statement.
China has also filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization, saying the U.S. tariffs were “a typical unilateral bullying practice that endangers the stability of the global economic and trade order.”
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Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, said the Secretariat is closely monitoring and analysing the measures announced by the United States on April 2, 2025.
“Many members have reached out to us and we are actively engaging with them in response to their questions about the potential impact on their economies and the global trading system.”
The recent announcements, he pointed out, will have substantial implications for global trade and economic growth prospects.
“While the situation is rapidly evolving, our initial estimates suggest that these measures, coupled with those introduced since the beginning of the year, could lead to an overall contraction of around 1% in global merchandise trade volumes this year, representing a downward revision of nearly four percentage points from previous projections”
“I am deeply concerned about this decline and the potential for escalation into a tariff war with a cycle of retaliatory measures that lead to further declines in trade.”
It is important to remember that, despite these new measures, the vast majority of global trade still flows under the WTO’s Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) terms.
“Our estimates now indicate that this share currently stands at 74%, down from around 80% at the beginning of the year. WTO members must stand together to safeguard these gains.”
Trade measures of this magnitude have the potential to create significant trade diversion effects. “I call on Members to manage the resulting pressures responsibly to prevent trade tensions from proliferating,” said Dr Okonjo-Iweala.
IPS UN Bureau Report
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Read the original article on IPS.
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Africa: Expanding Market Access – Unlocking New Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

Published

18 minutes ago

April 22, 2025

An24 Africa

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Sometimes, one opportunity is all it takes to change the trajectory of a business. For many women in the WCW Programme, 2024 has been a year of breakthroughs – where barriers gave way to bridges, and small businesses found space to grow.
Thanks to focused coaching and training, WCW entrepreneurs opened the door to over 10 new markets, generating opportunities valued at more than US$200,000. With tailored procurement support, they went even further – securing five supplier partnerships in Tanzania and seven in Zambia. These aren’t just numbers. They’re new deals signed, new shelves stocked, and new markets won.
Behind this progress is WCW’s strong belief in insight before action. Partnering with a leading service provider, the programme is helping entrepreneurs decode market trends, customer behaviours, and competitor landscapes. Through boot camps in six countries, women are now equipped with sharper strategies to position and promote their businesses like pros.
In the agriculture and agro-processing sectors, WCW is collecting critical data to pinpoint entry barriers, market concentrations, and competitive pressures. These insights are more than academic – they’re fuelling policy advocacy aimed at making it easier for small businesses to enter and thrive in high-potential sectors.
Support is also happening behind the scenes. WCW has brought in seasoned service providers to guide entrepreneurs in securing offtake agreements – particularly in agribusiness, where the potential to scale is massive. Plans to roll out a collective/aggregation model are also underway, giving smaller businesses the power to move together and tap into bigger supply chains.
Key Voices:
“The programme helped me focus on customer needs, allowing me to improve service delivery and expand my product range.”
— Participant from Tanzania
“The WCW-I programme has been helping me develop confidence, refine operations, and expand my market reach.”
— Participant from Zambia
With clearer pathways and stronger partnerships, WCW is showing what’s possible when entrepreneurs are given the tools – and the trust – to lead their own growth.
Read the original article on Graça Machel Trust.
AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
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US to ban artificial food dyes in cereals, snacks and beverages

Published

36 minutes ago

April 22, 2025

an24afri

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(BBC) US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is set to announce a ban on certain artificial food dyes, according to a statement from the health agency.

Kennedy plans to announce the phasing out of petroleum-based synthetic dyes as a “major step forward in the Administration’s efforts to Make America Healthy Again” the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Monday.

No exact dates for the changes were provided, but HHS said Kennedy would announce more details at a news conference on Tuesday.

The dyes – which are found in dozens of foods, including breakfast cereals, candy, snacks and beverages – have been linked to neurological problems in some children.

On the campaign trail alongside Donald Trump, Kennedy last year pledged to take on artificial food dyes as well as ultra-processed foods as a whole once confirmed to lead to top US health agency.

The move comes after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this year banned one dye, Red Dye 3, from US food and pharmaceuticals starting in 2027, citing its link to cancer in animal studies. California banned the dye in 2023.

Most artificially coloured foods are made with synthetic petroleum-based chemicals, according to nutrition nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Some of the petroleum-based food dyes include Blue 1, used in candy and baked goods; Red 40, used in soda, candy, pastries and pet food; and Yellow 6, also used in baked goods and drinks. Synthetic food dyes are found in dozens of popular foods including M&M’s, Gatorade, Kool-Aid and Skittles.

The only purpose of the artificial food dyes is to “make food companies money”, said Dr Peter Lurie, a former FDA official and the president of CSPI.

“Food dyes help make ultra-processed foods more attractive, especially to children, often by masking the absence of a colorful ingredient, like fruit,” he said. “We don’t need synthetic dyes in the food supply, and no one will be harmed by their absence.”

Companies have found ways to eliminate many of the dyes in other countries, including Britain and New Zealand, said former New York University nutrition professor Marion Nestle.

For example, in Canada, Kellogg uses natural food dyes like carrot and watermelon juice to colour Froot Loops cereal, despite using artificial dyes in the US.

How harmful the synthetic dyes are is debatable, said Ms Nestle.

“They clearly cause behavioural problems for some – but by no means all – children, and are associated with cancer and other diseases in animal studies,” she said.

“Enough questions have been raised about their safety to justify getting rid of them, especially because it’s no big deal to do so,” she added. “Plenty of non-petroleum alternative dyes exist and are in use.”

In 2008, British health ministers agreed to phase out six artificial food colourings by 2009, while the European Union bans some colourings and requires warning labels on others.

In recent months, Kennedy’s food-dye ban has found momentum in several state legislatures. West Virginia banned synthetic dyes and preservatives in food last month, while similar bills have been introduced in other states.

The post US to ban artificial food dyes in cereals, snacks and beverages appeared first on ZNBC-Just for you.

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Africa: Captain Ibrahim Traoré – the Soldier Selling Africa False Hope

Published

1 hour ago

April 22, 2025

An24 Africa

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Traoré’s anti-democratic posture is not a blueprint for development — it is a calculated strategy to entrench military rule under the guise of a populist revolution.
What Traoré is selling is not a radical reimagining of governance. It is an age-old authoritarian tactic: discredit democracy, invoke national pride, and suppress dissent — all while consolidating power… Since assuming power through a 2022 coup, Traoré has suspended political parties, cracked down on the press, and muzzled civil society organisations. He claims these actions defend national sovereignty and promote a “popular, progressive revolution.”
Clad in fatigues and fluent in fiery rhetoric, Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso has emerged as a poster child of a new wave of African populism. To his supporters, he is a revolutionary — bold, youthful, and principled.
To the disillusioned youth across the continent, he offers a seductive promise: progress without the inconveniences of democracy. But behind the revolutionary slogans and Sankara-inspired aesthetics lies a far less romantic reality.
Traoré’s anti-democratic posture is not a blueprint for development — it is a calculated strategy to entrench military rule under the guise of a populist revolution. Let us be clear, Africa has every right to interrogate the forms and functions of democracy on the continent.
For decades, many African states have endured dysfunctional governance, hollow elections, and endemic corruption — even under democratically elected leaders. But that frustration must not be manipulated into legitimising authoritarianism.
What Traoré is selling is not a radical reimagining of governance. It is an age-old authoritarian tactic: discredit democracy, invoke national pride, and suppress dissent — all while consolidating power.
Since assuming power through a 2022 coup, Traoré has suspended political parties, cracked down on the press, and muzzled civil society organisations. He claims these actions defend national sovereignty and promote a “popular, progressive revolution.”
But there is little “popular” about a regime that stifles dissent and sidelines citizen participation. Beneath the rhetoric, his governance follows a familiar authoritarian script: glorify the military, delegitimise the opposition, and centralise authority.
His framing of democracy as a Western construct is both lazy and intellectually dishonest. Democracy is not a Western invention — it is a universal aspiration. It is not perfect — no system is — but it provides tools for accountability, the protection of rights, and peaceful transitions of power.
Traoré’s assertion that no country has developed under democracy ignores glaring counterexamples: India, Indonesia, Botswana, Mauritius, and even South Africa — imperfect democracies that have made tangible developmental progress.
Democracy is not the enemy of progress; bad leadership is. Traoré frequently cites China and Rwanda as models of authoritarian success. But cherry-picking these exceptions while ignoring the graveyard of failed autocracies is deeply misleading.
For every China, there are countless Zimbabwes, Sudans, and Libyas — nations brought to their knees by unchecked power. Even China’s economic gains have come at great human cost: widespread censorship, suppression of dissent, and the erosion of personal freedoms — trade-offs many Africans are neither willing nor ready to accept.
In truth, Traoré’s appeal is more symbolic than substantive. His military garb, rejection of Western aid, and Pan-Africanist slogans serve a performative function — designed to project the image of a revolutionary, while masking the repressive nature of his regime.
It is political theatre, expertly staged for a generation hungry for change but jaded by the failures of democracy. And let us not be fooled by his youth or populist flair. Africa has seen this movie before.
From Mobutu in Zaire to Mengistu in Ethiopia, the continent’s post-independence history is littered with military strongmen who promised renewal but delivered repression. They all began with charismatic appeals and revolutionary fervour.
They all ended with censorship, violence, and economic ruin. Traoré’s growing popularity among young Africans — many of whom have no memory of the brutality of past military regimes — is understandable, but dangerous.
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Disillusionment with democracy should fuel reform, not nostalgia for dictatorship. Africa does not need another soldier-saviour. It needs strong institutions, functional systems, and an empowered citizenry — not one infantilised by authoritarian paternalism.
If Captain Traoré is genuinely committed to African sovereignty and development, let him invest in institution-building. Let him empower an independent judiciary, uphold press freedom, invest in civic education, and be accountable to the people — not just through speeches, but through action.
Anything less is not leadership — it is manipulation. The truth is, democracy does not fail because it is un-African. It fails when it is hijacked by corrupt elites, undermined by weak institutions, and eroded by poverty and exclusion.
The solution is not to discard democracy — but to fix it, to deepen it, to make it real. That is the only sustainable path to development, dignity, and self-determination.
Umar Farouk Bala writes from Abuja. He can be reached via: umarfaroukofficial@gmail.com.
Read the original article on Premium Times.
AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
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