News Archive - Latin America and Africa in the News

RAND researchers often write commentaries for publications on a variety of topics. This page lists commentaries and op-eds about or related to Latin America and Africa. For a complete list of commentaries and op-eds by RAND staff, visit the RAND Newsroom.

Use Force to Forge Peace in Libya
Feb 17, 2016

Five years after the uprising against Qaddafi and the civil war that followed, Libya is now home to the second-largest and fastest-growing Islamic State group affiliate outside Iraq and Syria. The U.S. and its allies need to step in to help restore Libyan sovereignty.
Developing a Strategic Program for Chilean Health Information Technology
Feb 11, 2016

As part of an effort to assist in developing a strategic program to foster the development of the health information technology (health IT) sector, RAND assessed the current state of health IT in Chile, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing the sector in the coming years.
Tunisia's Paradoxical Political Union: Ennahda and Nidaa Tounes
Feb 5, 2016

In Tunisia, healthy disagreement between political parties has fostered some real change since the 2011 uprisings and throughout the course of the transition, but the persistent power-sharing dynamics in play aren't advancing democracy.
The Three Challenges of Countering ISIS in Libya
Feb 5, 2016

ISIS's expansion in Libya is a threat to the security of Libyans, to the region, and to Europe. U.S. and European cooperation to counter ISIS is essential and Libya is unlikely to ever be peaceful without outside military support.
Fighting the Zika Virus: What Public Health Officials Need to Do
Jan 28, 2016

For now, public health officials and their partners must do all they can to control Zika virus, using the tools at hand. That may include instituting a public health campaign to reduce mosquito-breeding sites and promoting prudent protection against mosquito bites.
A Promising Approach for Expanding Health Insurance to Nigeria's Informal Sector
Jan 22, 2016

The Kwara Community Health Insurance program in Nigeria provides a remarkable proof of concept and template for addressing the challenge of providing risk protection for the poor in the developing world.
Superfoods Cookery Contest Featured Creative Millet and Sorghum Recipes
Dec 11, 2015

At the Superfoods Cookery Contest in Kampala, Uganda, we awarded over 5,000,000 UGX in prizes to professional chefs, aspiring innovators, and foodies who developed recipes using millet and sorghum.
Africa Succeeds in Meeting Many Long-Term U.N. Development Goals
Dec 7, 2015

Africa's great strides toward meeting the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals are a compelling reminder of the continent's potential to create a more prosperous and sustainable environment for its people.
Economic Impact of the Pacific Alliance in Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru: An IDSS/CLASP Panel
Nov 19, 2015

The Los Angeles-based Consuls General of Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru discussed the impact of the Pacific Alliance, an initiative with the goal of open markets, free movement of services, goods and people, and complete access to education, employment, and pension systems.
Flirting with Genocide in Burundi: Paying Attention Could Save Lives
Nov 18, 2015

Burundi has been afflicted by political violence since April. President Pierre Nkurunziza, who helped bring peace to the country in the last decade, is risking everything for the sake of staying in power. He is dragging the country backwards after 10 years of progress.
The French Way of War
Nov 17, 2015

There is a French way of warfare that reflects the French military's lack of resources and its modest sense of what it can achieve. They specialize in carefully apportioned and usually small but lethal operations, often behind the scenes.
Ensuring Robust Water Management Strategies in Lima-Callão, Peru
Nov 16, 2015

Water resource agencies around the world are grappling with how to make smart investments to ensure long-term water reliability at a time of unprecedented water stress, growing demands, uncertain climate change, and limited budgets.
A Strategy for Implementing Lima's Long-Term Water Resources Master Plan
Nov 11, 2015

How can water resource agencies make smart investments to ensure long-term water reliability when the future is fraught with deep climate and economic uncertainty? This study helped SEDAPAL, the water utility serving Lima, Peru, answer this question by drawing on methods for decision making under deep uncertainty.
Could Drones Help Control Agricultural Pests and Promote Food Security?
Nov 11, 2015

With support from the Pardee Initiative, Shira Efron's dissertation explored whether unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, can help improve food security in Africa by controlling pests such as the tsetse fly and red-billed quelea.
Bringing FARC in from the Cold
Oct 28, 2015

The announcement of a preliminary peace accord by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the Colombian government is not receiving public support. Most Colombians manifest a strong desire for peace but reject the possibility that crimes committed in the name of revolution should receive amnesty.