Friday, 25 June 2021 - U.S President Biden will today host his Afghan counterpart, Ghani – who will be flanked by Dr. Abdullah, the chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation – ahead of September 11th the U.S and NATO troops withdrawal from the war-ravaged country. In its official statement last Sunday, the White House announced that U.S president Joe Biden will host the Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, alongside the country’s High Council for National Reconciliation, Dr. Abdullah. The Afghan leader will meet Biden on Friday in the White House while facing the cold reality of the end of a 20-years long U.S military presence in Afghanistan. However, the White House in its statement expressed the U.S continued commitment to support the war-torn nation even in the aftermath of September's troop withdrawal. What’s on The Agenda in Today’s Sit-Down President Biden, in April 2021, ordered the departure of U.S forces from Afghanistan. But with Ghani's government under increasing security threat from the Taliban insurgency, the top of his priorities would be getting the U.S to commit to offering his government significant security aid in the aftermaths of troop withdrawal. Among others, we expect the following to be on the agenda: The heightened security threat in Afghanistan may see its leader ask for an extension to the looming September 11th drawdown. But sources cite that it is increasingly unlikely and any extension request will be snuffed. The Taliban’s request for a “genuine Islamic system” through peace talks is expected to feature prominently in the discussion. Biden’s plan to evacuate thousands of Afghans who helped the U.S military in the course of the past two decades will feature. Top on the list is informants and interpreters. The drawdown has coincided with a surge in fights between the Taliban and Afghan security forces, and Dr. Abdullah is expected to highlight a roadmap that will see both sides commit to peaceful means of conflict resolution. What The U.S Has Said Ahead of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, in what has been American’s longest war that has lasted 20 years since September 11th, 2001, the White House has committed to supporting the Afghan people by providing economic, humanitarian, and diplomatic assistance. On the security issue, the U.S has committed to supporting the vulnerable groups in Afghanistan, including girls, women, and minorities. And to achieve that, a White House official said the U.S will keep up its enduring ties with the Afghan people and will remain engaged with Ghani's government to ensure Afghanistan never becomes a safe haven for terrorists. Taliban’s Demands On the backdrop of the recent surge in violence that has seen the Taliban take control of over 40 more districts, the militants are demanding conditional peace talks, with a “genuine Islamic system” a priority. They want a system that will establish women’s rights in line with Islamic cultural traditions and beliefs. Failure to meet that demand, the Taliban, on evidence of events in recent months, have promised unrelenting violence that continues to siege many areas across the country. Meanwhile, Ghani’s administration has appointed two security ministers in the wake of the dramatic surge in violence. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker Team)

Friday, 25 June 2021 - European Union leaders have today failed to agree on France and Germany’s proposals for the bloc to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking after the EU's summit in Brussels, Germany’s Angela Merkel said discussions between the bloc’s top officials had failed to bear fruits. She, however, insisted that talks were ongoing and needed EU leaders to take bolder steps if the region is to develop a mutual dialogue format with Russia. The disagreement was mainly because Poland and Baltic nations said a summit will send the wrong message to Russia, even as East-West European ties continue to deteriorate. The Proposal Has Been in The Pipeline Speaking after U.S President Biden met Putin on 16th June in Geneva, Switzerland, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the EU should restart its diplomatic meetings with the Kremlin to defend the region's interests. The last such fixture was held in 2014 but has been frozen since the Kremlin’s annexation of Crimea later that year. Speaking to the press, Macron wanted the EU to revive the meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in what he termed as a push to defend the interests of the European Union. He further insisted the EU should deploy a dialogue format that will stabilize the region's diplomatic ties with Russia. What Opposing Nations Have Said After yesterday’s late-night talks between all the 27 EU’s top officials held in Brussels, a common ground couldn’t be established as leaders failed to agree on the proposals by Paris and Berlin. And while Germany’s Angela Merkel called on leaders to take bold steps in diplomatic relations with Russia, Poland and Baltic countries expressed their opposition to the plans. Lithuania president Gitanas Nauseda, for instance, said he was opposed to meetings with Russia at any level. Echoed by other leaders, especially from Eastern Europe, Gitanas said the region should be cautious of rewarding the Kremlin with talks before it alters its course. They further argued that both Berlin and Paris blindsided their European counterparts by tabling last-minute proposals of reviving annual summits with Russia. And while officials from Moscow have indicated their willingness to resume such talks, it is understood that Putin would prefer to deal bilaterally with member states. What’s Next? Friday's snug in Brussels comes barely a week after the U.S and NATO resolved to revamp its military and revisit strategies that could see EU’s rogue eastern neighbour – Russia – kept in check. Moscow has been at odds with several EU heavyweights after sending troops on the Ukrainian border, and the last year has seen a number of espionage scandals levelled against Russia, with some leading to diplomatic expulsions. And while Merkel suggested talks are ongoing, officials in Brussels have admitted that the EU's relations with the Kremlin are set to deteriorate even further in the coming days. (Written end edited by: The Decision Maker Team)

Monday, 21 June 2021 - Builder sentiment dropped to a 10-month low in June. This is the steepest fall since August 2020. Key Takeaways: The overall builder sentiment remains high nationally (in historical terms), but the West and Northeast took the biggest hit. Higher building material costs, scarcity of lumber stemming from a decline in softwood availability, as well as shipment challenges, drove down builder sentiment, that's according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) The NAHB’s monthly index shows that homebuilder sentiment has been pushed down 2 points to 81, down from its recent peak of 90, November last year. The hiking costs of building materials and the declining supply of lumber have led to a hike in prices for new homes. This has led to side-lining home buyers, which is subsequently a barrier for home builders to access loans. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) index has dropped by 2 points to 81, and the buyer traffic also nosedived 2 points to 71. And while any value above 50 is considered a positive indicator, the drop in builder sentiment is the steepest in 10 years. Construction Material Costs and Shipment Challenge According to the NAHB chairperson Chuck Fowke, the drop is caused by higher costs of construction materials. Fowke also cited the declining availability of softwood as the reason new home prices have gone up. Therefore, the knock-on effect is that the higher budgets have soared beyond the reach of prospective buyers. Overall, homebuilders have read the caution in the air and slowed down the pace of construction of new homes. Lumber prices, for instance, have dropped by 10% from their last peak, but these prices are still over 300% more than their average in the last decade. Other essential construction materials are still going at higher prices, and, worse still, home builders are still experiencing delays in the delivery. All these are attributed to the global pandemic-induced shortages from the supply chain disruptions. Homebuyers Bear the Burden The overall higher prices of construction, therefore, mean that builders pass on the cost burden to the buyers. In April, for example, the price of a single-family unit was up an annualized 20%, according to the U.S Census Bureau. Such prices are likely to side-line buyers and as well lead to appraisal issues for small-scale builders who comprise 70% of the homebuilding market in the U.S. The knock-on effect is that home builders are facing difficulties in acquiring bank loans because they lack appraisals. And in case they do, home sale prices come at lower figures than the cost of construction. This means that home builders would either need more equity or abandon the loan altogether. So, What Is the Overall Picture? On a national level overall, current sales condition has been pushed down 2 points to 86. Moreover, sales expectation index in the next couple of months has gone down 2 points to 79, while buyer traffic has taken a 2-point hit to 71. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker Team)

Monday, 21 June 2021 - The port of Singapore, the world's second-largest after China's Shanghai Port, has reported Friday a container growth of 4.6% in the first five months of 2021, and the city-state continues to be an attractive proposition for new companies looking to set up operations. The port of Singapore has bounced back strongly despite the pandemic. The past few months have seen port closures overseas, global container shortages, and shipment delays that led to a 0.9% fall in containers at the port last year. And despite the significant growth, five more maritime companies have either established new firms or expanded the existing operations since the start of 2021. Bounce Back from The Pandemic Slowdown Speaking at the launch of the Smart Port Challenge 2021, Singapore’s State Minister for Transport, Chee Hong Tat, revealed that the port had posted a 4.6% growth between January and May 2021, a steep rise that dwarfs the figure posted the same period last year, as well as the 3.9% of 2019 pre-pandemic. On the back of the 0.9% drop in container volumes posted in 2020, this year's growth is encouraging news. The port has bounced back from the global pandemic-induced slowdown, and the first five months of 2021 have seen it handle more cargo than it did in the same period last year. New Companies Are Setting Up According to Chee Hong Tat, neither the Covid-19 pandemic nor the recent Suez Canal backlog prevented the port of Singapore from expanding its operations. And the past few months have seen the ports Maritime sector grow tremendously. Late last year alone saw 11 new shipping firms move into Singapore, with at least eight maritime companies expanding their operations. Furthermore, the investment pipeline didn't stop there. In the five months between January and May 2021, five new maritime companies have either expanded or established new operations in the city-state. And according to Minster Chee, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has offered more support to firms looking to start operations in the city. What’s Next The minister thanked the port workers association for their resilience during the past few months, especially in the face of the pandemic and most recently, the Suez Canal incident. And speaking at the virtual launch of the Smart Port Challenge, Chee Hong Tat further called for everyone to take advantage of the momentum to build stronger capabilities and to position the port for further growth. And in doing so, he pointed out innovative approaches that would enable the port to handle all cargo in a 100% contactless manner. He hailed the technological solutions such as the provision of telemedicine to seafarers at the height of the pandemic as a foundation to build on to ensure the port of Singapore expands its maritime sector to unrivalled levels. And pointing to the city's support, Chee said that MPA has set aside $10 million in funds to steer the growth of the port’s maritime tech firms. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker Team)

Monday, 21 June 2021 - Even as the Federal Reserve acknowledged Wednesday the post-pandemic booming economy, several borrowers can consider themselves lucky in the face of the creeping inflation. Car prices, beef, and airplane tickets are hiking at an astonishing pace, and economics and consumers alike are predicting the start of an inflationary period. And while sceptics are suggesting the price hikes as a temporary blip stemming from the pandemic-induced mismatch and disruption of supply and demand, signs are strife that inflation could be creeping in. But why so? The Continuous Price Upticks Month after month, prices have continued to soar for a broader variety of goods and services. And while this is just the beginning, particular groups of the demographic are primed to benefit more if such price upticks continue. Such groups include local governments, businesses, corporations, and consumers that hold fixed-rate debts. According to Kent Smetters, who is the faculty director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model – an institution that monitors policy proposals and their impact on the economy – inflation in such circumstances could signal a massive wealth transfer from lenders to borrowers. Kent also says that inflation will have a massive impact on people with wealth (lenders) while borrowers will discount reliefs on goods and services they pay for. How the Model Works With inflation, consumer assets would soar while their liabilities would go down. This means that as prices rise, companies employ more workers to help in the manufacture more goods to take advantage of the hiking prices. Wage increases mean companies would charge more for their products, and the workers would subsequently seek higher pay. The ensuing spiral effect means a unit of money would be less valuable than it was previously. And this means less interest to lenders because borrowers who are tied on fixed-rate loans prior to the inflationary period are only obligated to repay what they initially agreed upon. And according to Kent, the expected inflation creeps to the US economy post-pandemic is a blessing to such consumer loans. And Who Is Expected to Benefit? This kind of dynamic hasn’t been seen in the U.S economy since the 1970s. And the lucky groups are going to be repaying loans with less purchasing power than when they borrowed. Therefore, the luck group includes: Consumer loans with fixed interest rates. Federal Student loans (which have fixed interest rates for their lifetime). In context, a borrower would theoretically earn more because wages rise with inflation. However, the amount of money owed in student loans remains the same. Private Student loans with fixed interest rates. Fixed-rate mortgage loans. The Bottom Line The expected post-pandemic inflation isn’t entirely good news to the borrowers either. This is because anyone taking out a fixed interest rate loan now will probably repay more in interest that has inflation factored in it. Moreover, the economic volatility that comes with inflation might lead to borrowers facing risks of unemployment. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker Team)

Wednesday, 16 June 2021 - America’s biggest bank, JPMorgan, is championing efforts to stop racial bias in home appraisals in the country - Richard Oyamo reports. Calling for the much-needed diversity in the appraisal sector, the bank has thrown its weight into new commitments to fight America’s housing inequality, with the focus on promoting equitable home valuations. And for the first time, the bank has today outlined its strategic backing plans for specific legislations aimed at fighting appraisal bias. Beyond Property Appraisals The bank has promised to eliminate the barriers that make it harder for Latinx and Black households to: Access affordable housing facilities. Build wealth. Buy homes in America. Heather Higginbottom, who is JPMorgan’s Chase Policy Centre as well the chairperson of global philanthropy, attributed the racial appraisal bias to the systemic barriers in housing that have existed for as long as we can remember. JPMorgan’s $30 Billion Pledge to Ease Racial Inequality in Housing This year, the bank has promised a $400 million philanthropic commitment that would go towards low-interest loans, affordable housing organizations, as well as equity and grants to non-profit organizations. This commitment is part of the bank’s $30 billion support (announced October 2020) to ease racial inequalities. But that is just the gist of it. According to recent innovation studies conducted to minimize the racial wealth gap, discrimination, especially in the housing industry is the chief contributor to America's enormous wealth gap. The study highlighted that owning a home needs the buyer to save for a down payment, and having one is the easiest way to build wealth. In what the Brookings Institution report refers to as a “$156 billion problem,” houses in Latinx and majority-Black suburbs are, on average, valued at $48,000 less. This valuation discrepancy represents 23% less than homes in neighbourhoods with few or no black residents. This sentiment is also echoed by Michael Hsu, Comptroller of the Currency, appraisal bias and discrimination are the biggest contributors to housing valuation inequality, which adversely affects the basic foundation of building wealth for minority households. He reiterates that the impact has been amplified enough and can’t be ignored anymore. Homeownership in America According to the latest Urban Institute analysis, homeownership for White Americans today is at 72%, compared to 42% for Black Americans. Incredibly, the 30% gap is getting worse as it eclipses the figures for 1968, a time when discrimination in housing was legal. JPMorgan has called an end to today's worsening home market conditions, citing the rising prices, house shortages, and the existing barriers to down payment access: issues that keep homeownership out of reach for Latinx and Black Americans, as well low-income families. Is Revamping the Appraisal Industry the Way Out? JPMorgan has called for reforms in the appraisal sector to stop the racial bias in home and property valuations. To highlight the problem, only 2% of appraisers in the country are Black, and some minority groups conceal their identity to have their homes valued favourably. Some of the reforms JPMorgan is calling for include: Creation of an anti-bias training requirement for all appraisers. Establishment of a new national home valuation standard and a platform for equal access to valuation data. Rulebook reform to ensure appraisers utilize more data and less judgment. In championing such efforts, JPMorgan has invested $1 million in the Brookings Institution and Ashoka to fund innovative studies as to how the appraisal gap can be narrowed down. The bank is also offering $50,000 to Black and minority women who feel their homes were undervalued. (Written and edited by: Richard Oyamo for The Decision Maker)

Monday, 14 June 2021 - As the NATO Summit gets underway Monday 14th, Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is expected to have a much-anticipated sit-down with his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan. As revealed by a source close to the Greek government, the meeting will take place on the sidelines of the NATO summit, and it is expected to have at least an aide from each side. And according to information obtained from officials involved in the preparation of the face-to-face meeting, both sides have expressed a willingness to promote a positive agenda, and expectations are high as to the outcome of their sit-down. But What’s the Sticking Point in The Greece-Turkey Tensions? Greece and Turkey are all NATO members bound by the EU's territorial law and the UN Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) but they have also considered themselves traditionally long-standing rivals. The past few months have, however, seen tensions rise, with both countries mobilizing warplanes and navies in the Mediterranean Sea to antagonize one another. But why are the warheads and the heightened opposition against each other? Greece and Turkey have been marred in tension that is rooted in the exploration of offshore natural gas in a territorial island off the coast of Cyprus. And this isn’t the first time as this island has been a long-standing source of conflict between the two countries. Nonetheless, officials have stated that both sides are willing to keep the tensions at a minimum, and the face-to-face setting is the right move to elicit a franker exchange of ideas with the aim of de-escalation. And while there aren’t any guarantees yet, a more positive outcome is expected especially as the meeting is scheduled after Erdogan meets President Biden. The Word from Both Camps Is: Greece’s PM Open to A Positive Agenda with Turkey On Friday, June 11th, in an EU Mediterranean countries’ (EU-Med7) meeting held in Athens, Greece’s Prime Minister reiterated his stance to push for positive talks when he meets his Turkish counterpart today Monday. However, he said his willingness was subject to the de-escalation being conducted in a gradual, reversible, proportionate manner, and in a way that respects the EU’s territorial law act, as well as that stipulated in the UN’s Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Furthermore, he stressed that he was willing to undertake any talks on the condition that Turkey will be ready to engage in constructive dialogue and agree to measures that respect the laid down international law. And with regards to the disputed Cyprus island, he ruled out the likelihood of that discussion in today's meeting. The Word from Turkey's Foreign Minister Late last month, Greece PM had a meeting with Turkey’s Foreign Minister, in what officials described as cordial. Sources close to both camps said each side expressed a willingness to promote efforts towards de-escalation. And ahead of their meeting in Brussels, it is expected both sides will initiate a process aimed at normalizing the situation in the short-term, and hopefully engage EU and the UN's multi-panel member to resolve the disputed island issue for the long term. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker team)

Monday, 14 June 2021 - The 47th edition of the G7 Summit that was held in Cornwall, the UK between 11th and 13th June finally wrapped up. The G7 nations released a joint statement in the form of a Summit Communique that outlined their deliberations and subsequent commitments going forward. And while the communique essentially reiterated the G7 nations' position to tackle the pandemic, mitigate climate change, and revitalize economic recoveries, they affirmed their commitment to multilateralism and also alluded to a cold war against China. So, if you were caught up somewhere and inadvertently missed the proceedings, here are the key talking points from this year's G7 Summit: The Ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic In their communique, the leaders acknowledged the impacts of the pandemic to the societies globally and pledged to take tangible measures that will include: Bolstering global health security by strengthening and supporting institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Invest in people and tackle inequalities as the pandemic impacted societies unevenly. Ending the pandemic by 2022 by donating safe and effective vaccines enough to vaccinate at least 60% of the world’s population. In this regard, they recognized the necessity to speed up vaccine production and delivery and subsequently committed to sharing 870 million doses by the year's end. Supporting the COVAX and the ACT – Accelerator programs with $8.6 billion as a Global Responsibility and International Action, and as well boost the supply of PPEs, test kits, and raw materials. Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery and Trade The G7 leaders stated that they had donated over $12 trillion in liquidity measures and fiscal support to help address financial challenges, and even pledged more. They endorsed and committed to a fair tax system globally with a ceiling of 15% minimum tax, aimed at levelling the playing field that is expected to raise more in investment revenues. Suspending or entirely getting rid of unnecessary trade restrictions to ease supply chains for industries globally. The group pledged to enhance the efficiency of the multilateral trade system by reforming the rulebook of the World Trade Organization. Commitment to Democracy and Open Societies The G7 leaders referenced the need to restore values in our increasingly authoritarian regimes. They pledged support for models that support open societies, while strongly condemning bad autocracies. They committed to strengthen the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism to compete against cyber-attacks and threats that undermine democracy. And in this regard accused China of disinformation and promotion of unfair trade policies that threatened transparency. They called on China to respect the fundamental principles of human rights and freedoms, especially the autonomy in Hongkong, despite the existence of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. And as per the communique, the leaders emphasized the need for a coordinated global pressure against China. The G7 communique also called on Russia to stop engaging in destabilizing behavior that malign existing democracies as seen in Ukraine. The situations in North Korea, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia are also featured in their deliberations. Climate Change The issue of Global Warming has been a sticking point and, as you can imagine, featured prominently in the discussion. Climate change and its impacts globally was discussed stressed that 2021 should be the turning point for the planet. The Bottom Line With the UK, Canada, Japan, EU, and now the United States back at the table, leaders pledged to quit the nationalistic and unilateralism that we have witnessed in the past four years of the Trump administration and work together towards a common global goal of tackling the pandemic, climate change and creating a suitable environment for the post-pandemic recovery. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker team)

Monday, 14 June 2021 - The Biden administration is looking to restore the transatlantic relationship that both the United States and the Europeans have been craving for, and as well revamp the NATO 30-member defence alliance in going up against rising global threats like Russia and China. Ahead of Monday’s June 14th NATO Summit in Brussels – which comes on the back end of the G7 Summit that concluded over the weekend in Cornwall, UK – Biden’s second phase of the trip includes a meeting with 29 fellow NATO allies, and all eyes are in Belgium for the next few days. And top of his agenda is to: Urge support for democracy to vehemently compete against the threat of authoritarianism and autocracy from Russia and China and some European allies. Discuss new and lasting strategic solutions to NATO’s Afghanistan troop drawdown. What Will Be NATO’s Focus? According to Jens Stoltenberg, NATO secretary-general, the NATO Summit will signal transatlantic solidarity, even as the allies cautiously welcomes U.S leadership in the post-Trump era. Biden is expected to kickstart high-level conversations regarding global support for democracy aimed to underpin rising European autocracies and the two main authoritarian threats Russia and China. Other key issues, according to top European officials, would be how NATO's defence can adapt to rising cyberattacks from China and Russia, as well as how allied militaries can adapt paths for carbon neutrality by 2050. Discussions will involve revoking the long-standing military exemption from minimizing carbon emissions. Biden’s Expected Sit-Down with Vladimir Putin The third phase of Biden’s trip would be the highly-anticipated sit-down with Russia’s Putin, an event scheduled to take place in Switzerland. This couldn’t get any better as this move is aimed at reassuring his European allies of U.S commitment to shared goals such as democracy. Even ahead of this trip, Biden wrote in the Washington Post op-ed that the trip was all about signalling America's rejuvenated commitment to her partners and allies and to demonstrate how democracy can solve the existing challenges and also deter the rising threats of this new age. Significant Tensions Still Exist Between Europe And the Biden Administration As the NATO Summit gets underway in Brussels, the ride isn’t entirely smooth though. Even as he looks to urge NATO unity against a common enemy in Russia and China, the elephant in the room for the Europeans and the U.S include: The recent trade disagreements. Biden’s afghan NATO drawdown caught some allied members off guard. Lack of support for a common ground regarding how to deal with China because most European economies heavily rely on China. More than half of NATO allies aren’t meeting the burden-sharing benchmark of spending at least 2% of GDP in military funding. What to Expect Against the backdrop of all these unresolved issues, the NATO Summit is underway and it is still unclear whether Biden will manage to pull off the necessary display of political unity between the U.S and allied European states. And while most European officials have shown trust in Biden’s transatlantic relations it, nevertheless, remains to be seen what will become of this year’s summit, even as the NATO alliance plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and lay the foundation to mitigate Russia’s threat and China’s superpower status. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker team)

Friday, 11 June 2021 - A Call for Wealthy Economies to Start Sharing If Africa Is to Enjoy Some Stability Representatives from the west and northern Africa convened in Paris, France earlier this month to table some of the most pressing issues on the continent; namely the post-pandemic recovery and the slowdown in vaccine rollouts. But amidst the obvious economic and the unprecedented health crises, there were recurring themes in that convention: Economic depression stemming from the pandemic. The negligible rollout of vaccines Lockdowns The challenges above are thought to be leading to a resurgence in Islamist terrorism. West Africa has been especially hit by the militants. In Northern Burkina Faso, for instance, last week saw a terror attack on a rural village that left over 132 civilians dead and thousands displaced. World leaders and the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the attacks even as calls for civilian protection heightened in the wake of one of the country's deadliest civilian massacres. Terrorism Has Become A Daily Reality Last week’s attack on Burkina Faso is simply the gist of it. Attacks, security incidents involving government troops and militants, and kidnapping for ransom demands have become a daily reality for millions of Africans. Moreover, militants hold scores of villages hostage, which becomes a humanitarian crisis when the said villagers get caught between armed factions, and the subsequent government crackdowns limit community access to basic social services. The Vaccine Scarcity The rate of vaccination in Africa is extremely low. Today, less than 1.9% of globally administered doses so far have been in Africa. This is considerably low given the continent is home to over 1.4 billion people. This has resulted in calls for wealthy nations to share their vaccine stocks because Africa has zero vaccine manufacturing centres, and instead depends on the rest of the world for supplies. The low vaccine rollout, if not addressed with more urgency, is expected to heighten economic stagnation and its ills such as the emergence of armed groups. International vaccine initiatives such as COVAX (Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access) had seemed to move smoothly until they hit a snag. The initiative was established to help low-income nations get access to vaccine doses, but it hasn't come without its problems. COVAX supplies have gradually dried out for most African states, with the principal challenge being that low-income countries rely on high-income counterparts for subsidies. Resurgence of Conflict Meanwhile, the past few months have seen a rise in conflict for many communities. Most states on the continent have limited resources, of which a large chunk is used in the pandemic response, which has created a favourable atmosphere for terrorist groups to wreak havoc. Some governments have underfunded and understaffed troops, which has fuelled the revival of armed groups like Boko Haram in West Africa. Such groups thrive on economic hardships, and unless the vaccine access is sufficient, African states' economic recovery will remain stagnant and the instability will only get worse. (Written and edited by: Richard Oyamo for The Decision Maker)

Friday, 11 June 2021 - Ahead of this year’s edition of the G7, the European Union and NATO meeting that kickstarts today and ends on the 13th of June, we examine how Biden’s favourable atmosphere, post-pandemic recovery plan, and his overall progressive agenda is especially great for Europe. The G7 Summit is being hosted by the UK’s coastal town of Cornwall. Representatives, globally, are making their way to the UK, and so is Biden, in what comes as his first trip abroad since taking over from Trump. Global challenges will be discussed, as well as their solutions, but expectations are especially high for the following reasons: The global economy is striving to steady the ship in the post-Covid-19 era. Last year's summit was cancelled due to Covid-19. President Biden is expected to make new acquaintances and as well renew old friendships that were sour on the backdrop of Trump’s administration. Creating A Winning Post-Covid-19 Agenda to The West Earlier this week, a senior French correspondent hailed Biden's progressive agenda as exactly what the West needs in these challenging times. He highlighted the U.S high vaccination rates and vaccine rollouts, Biden's decision to suspend steel tariffs imposed by Trump, and his recent agreement to set a minimum global corporate tax as positive steps towards cementing lasting bilateral ties. And while there are still things to be done or done, the overall feeling going into today's summit is that Biden is everything Europe could hope for. The “Democracy Summit” In a world where democracy is always under attack, some European leaders are concerned that Biden's 'America First' foreign policy bears a strong resemblance to Trump's era, and his proposed 'democracy summit' would stir Europe and indeed the world to break into two hostile camps. But given that Biden is the first Atlanticist after George Bush to take the power reigns, he represents Europe’s ultimate hope and fulfilment. Nevertheless, he is expected to make strike a balance between making Europe’s case in the U.S and making the U.S case in Europe. Biden vs. Trump: The Value Contrast With regards to values, Biden's default faith is deeply ingrained in the West and was certainly shaped by the previous Cold War. Trump, on the other hand, regarded the U.S western allies as freeloaders. And the contrast between the two couldn't be more stack. By comparison, anyone could look better at what they represent, but Biden has won over many Western hearts for reversing steel tariffs that had been the elephant in the room for a long time. Biden’s Faith in The EU Agenda Biden, in his few first months in office, has dynamically spearheaded the response to the pandemic. Through Congress, he muscled a $2 trillion package towards the same. The EU, by contrast, set a $900 billion package. Moreover, he is pushing an infrastructure package that is reminiscent of the West’s pledge in social democracies. Elsewhere: Biden has called on pharma firms to waive patent and intellectual property rights in a bid to speed up vaccine production, which represents the EU’s plot to fuel post-pandemic economies. Biden has pledged global support of 80 million doses by June’s end and a further 500 million by the year’s end. What more could Europe hope for? Biden has a positive report to give not only on building bilateral ties with Europe but also on climate change, strengthening EU’s social democracies and economic recovery. (Written and edited by: Richard Oyamo for The Decision Maker)

Tuesday, 8 June 2021 The French Ministry of the Sea, in conjunction with the Classification Society Bureau Veritas, has launched the world's first-ever label for ocean protection, termed as "Ocean Approved". This is the world's first label that recognizes companies that are committed to understand and improve their oceanic impact. The ocean is known to cover almost 70% of the earth’s surface and every company, whether directly or indirectly, has an impact on the ocean in its operations. Therefore, to eliminate the disposal of plastic materials to the ocean and promote wastewater treatment, companies need a well-defined label that helps to strengthen and structure both public and private parties’ operations. The Ocean Approved is such a label that aims to create awareness and promote ocean protection. The Ocean Approved label comes after the Ocean Framework that was launched in 2020 by Fondation de la Mer. According to Sabine Roux de Bezieux, the president of Fondation de la Mer, the Ocean Framework was formed after a strong conviction to integrate a global vision that addresses all the current challenges facing the ocean. It also offered companies opportunities to introduce sea conversation in their transformation strategies. The Ocean Approved, therefore, was agreed upon by the French Ministry of the Sea’s Delegation for the Sea and Coastline in collaboration with Bureau Veritas, BPI France, BCG, EpE, and France Invest. With this label, companies can now reach a new level in mobilizing the defense of the oceanic system. The label also complies with the rigorous standards defined by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform. Corporate Social Responsibility Launching The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform was launched by the France Strategie, an organization that is supervised by the French Prime Minister and comprises civil society representatives. The platform aims to identify the factors favouring the adoption of responsible approaches. It also tries to identify the links between these factors and marine economic performance. According to the publication made by the France Strategie on the effectiveness of the CSR platform, companies that implemented a CSR approach had improved performance by 13%. The Labelling Process The Ocean Approved labelling process featured actions taken by the companies and the analysis of the governance mechanisms that are incorporated into these actions. Such actions include reducing and recycling plastic materials, improving wastewater treatment, and emphasizing coastal area protection. The Fondation de la Mer also approved Bureau Veritas and other independent third parties to facilitate the audit process. Such third parties have to guarantee the truth and accuracy of the companies' statements. Moreover, the entire labelling and auditing processes were tested with three pilot companies following the BV ruling. These are an energy company (Engie), a data centre operator (Interxion), and a marine cosmetics company (Thalgo). Remember, the Ocean Approved label was launched ahead of the World's Ocean Day celebration that was formed to create awareness and encourage the conservation of marine life among humankind. The day is celebrated on 8th June every year. (Written and edited by: The Decision Maker team)