The American magazine "Foreign Policy" published a report that included the most important expectations and upcoming events in the African continent in the coming year.
The report sheds light on a number of crises afflicting some countries of the brown continent, some of which may worsen in 2023, and others may be resolved.
Tunisia is threatened with bankruptcy
The report, prepared by the magazine's correspondent Nesmut Gabadamoussi - who prepares a weekly briefing on the situation in Africa - referred to the tense political situation in Tunisia, "in which the regime has turned into a dictatorship, under the rule of President Qais Saeed." The magazine said that Tunisia is on the brink of bankruptcy, and he What drives many people to migrate to Europe.
The report also indicated that the economic situation is likely to worsen in 2023, and the International Monetary Fund has postponed a meeting of its board of directors to consider granting loans to Tunisia, which was scheduled to be held on December 19th.
Because the country's budget and economic reforms for 2023 are not yet ready.
The magazine expected that the rise in food prices and the many other economic pressures resulting from inflation would push Tunisians to take to the streets in 2023 to protest the rule of Qais Saied.
Nigeria is on the brink
The report highlighted that Nigeria stands on the brink of an abyss.
Because of the tense political situation ahead of the presidential elections, economic downturn, and insecurity in the country.
The magazine's correspondent said that the expectations of young Nigerian voters, who represent 84% of the voters registered in the new electoral lists, are very high regarding the change that the elections scheduled for February next year will bring.
However, the new president who will come to power awaits him with a long list of crises that he must deal with, including: high unemployment rates, armed group violence, corruption, and an almost complete absence of accountability in government institutions.
According to the American magazine, there is a growing concern among observers that armed groups will disrupt the elections in parts of Nigeria next year.
The report predicted that Nigeria would be subject to more difficulties in 2023, due to the tense relations between China, Russia and the West, as Nigeria relies heavily on Chinese loans and Russian weapons, but is under severe pressure from the West.
Exacerbating the effects of drought in Somalia
Foreign Policy said that Somalia now tops the 2023 emergency list issued by the International Rescue Committee, and that more than 40% of Somalis currently need - or will soon need - food aid, due to the drought that has hit the country since 2020. Despite this, the international body responsible for World Hunger Watch has not yet classified the dire situation in Somalia as famine.
She noted that the Horn of Africa is witnessing the worst drought in 40 years, with about 7.8 million Somalis affected by food shortages.
She said that the absence of the rainy season for the fifth time in a row is expected to lead to the suffering of 8.3 million people, or half of the population of Somalia, due to severe hunger by mid-2023.
hot spots
Foreign Policy also expected that the presidential elections in African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Zimbabwe, would turn into political hot spots in 2023.
The report touched on the difficult peace process in Ethiopia, noting that the fighting had stopped after the ceasefire agreement signed by the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front last November, but there are still obstacles to achieving a permanent end to the civil war that has been ravaging Ethiopia since. two years.
The Foreign Policy report concluded that there are positive signs of reconciliation with the central government beginning to address the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, and that the priorities of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during 2023 should focus on opening a dialogue on regional demands and managing the region.