AFRICA: As Ghana mourns the loss of Jerry John Rawlings, report has it that his political influence in Ghana is second to that of Kwame Nkrumah. He has been a major figure in Ghana’s political and economic transition from the colonial era. Unlike the contemporary dubious elections depicted in Burkina Faso and Kenya, Rawlings electoral success in 1992 and 1996 was an indication that Ghana was consolidating as a liberal democracy. These periods significantly illustrated Ghana’s movement from military to democratic rule. Ghanaian politics in the 1990s was greatly affected by the presence of a strong and effective opposition facilitated during Rawlings’ regime. Rawlings revolutionary rule from chaotic to authoritarian, and then to democratic left people wondering if he was hero or villain. Some people liked him. Others do not.
BIODIVERSITY: A recent report published by the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), 2020 UEBT Biodiversity Barometer reveals that a vast majority of consumers feel that companies are morally obligated to protect biodiversity. An increasing awareness of biodiversity by Generation Z and Millennials make them investigate if companies “walk the walk” through ethical sourcing. Consumers feel more confident to buy from companies that have been independently certified as eco-friendly, thereby increasing consumer trust and patronage. When asked about the informational details of product packaging that was a priority to them, respondents gave the order: the list of product ingredients; origins of ingredients; and the impact on biodiversity.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: With a shortfall of USD 700 billion in external financing to developing countries, achieving sustainable development hangs in the balance. However, a joint partnership of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is aimed at helping private and public sectors align their investments to the SDGs. The OECD-UNDP Framework for SDG Aligned Finance which was presented at the Paris Peace Forum proffers solutions on how to allocate the trillions of international dollars to sustainable and resilient investments in developing countries.
UNITED STATES: Pope Francis has sent his congratulatory message to president-elect Joe Biden as they discussed about climate change and other shared beliefs. In a spirit of camaraderie, Joe Biden also appreciated the efforts of his Holiness in “promoting peace, reconciliation, and the common bonds of humanity around the world.” Joe Biden would become the second catholic president of the United States after John F. Kennedy. He made known his agenda of tackling climate change, integrating immigrants and refugees into communities, and taking care of the poor and marginalized, as a shared belief of human dignity and equality.