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.

IDSS Talk Explores Ways to Accelerate Poverty Reduction in Africa
Jun 3, 2019
Kathleen Beegle, lead economist in the World Bank Gender Group, looks beyond macroeconomic stability and growth to ask what more could be done and where should policy makers focus to speed up poverty reduction.
Preparing for Future Droughts in Lima, Peru
May 17, 2019
A rapidly growing population and expanding city will likely increase demand for water in Lima, Peru. This study evaluates the city's current drought management plan against future droughts and proposes augmentations.
Central American Migrants Pay Smugglers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars On Their Way North
May 16, 2019
Who is making money off the flow of migrants from Central America to the United States, and what can policymakers do to disrupt these transactions? A new Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center report finds that transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are not the only, or even the main, culprits bringing migrants to our border.
Human Smuggling Operations from Central America to the United States
Apr 22, 2019
Smuggling unlawful migrants from Central America to the United States generated between $200 million and $2.3 billion for human smugglers in 2017. The wide range reflects uncertainty about the number of migrants, their use of smugglers, and the fees they pay. Transnational criminal organizations are only one type of actor involved.
Three Essays on Health Financing in Sub-Saharan Africa
Apr 15, 2019
In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), out-of-pocket health spending constitutes a significant proportion of household expenditures, thereby exposing households to a high risk of impoverishment and potential worsening of already poor health outcomes. With Pardee Initiative support, Adeyemi Okunogbe (cohort '13) explored health financing in SSA using quantitative and comparative case study methods.
When Are Economic Sanctions Worthwhile?
Apr 15, 2019
For American policymakers, economic sanctions are too often the soft choice between doing nothing and taking effective but risky or expensive action. Yet, before they inflict years, perhaps decades of impoverishment and worse on entire populations, they should ask if their efforts are likely to succeed and are worth punishing an entire people to do so.
A Ruling from the Hague Threatens a U.S. and British Military Base in Asia
Apr 1, 2019
A remote and obscure tropical atoll in the Indian Ocean would seem an unlikely stage for the latest act of the United Kingdom's unfolding Brexit drama and the newest challenge to U.S. global power projection. But a nonbinding verdict in The Hague calls into question the legitimacy of the UK's administration and the major U.S. military presence on the islands' largest atoll, Diego Garcia.
Is an Escalation Imminent in Western Libya?
Mar 27, 2019
The Libyan Civil War has largely been contained to pockets of violence. Prolonged battles decimated cities such as Benghazi, Derna, and Sirte, but the majority of the country has been spared large-scale destruction. However, that could change soon.
Russia Chooses Paupers as Partners, with Questionable Benefit
Feb 14, 2019
By leveraging the efficiencies of globalization and cultivating ties with prosperous partners, Russia could increase its economic potential and improve living standards for its people. And by engaging more positively with the world, it could gain influence in the forums that matter, such as the G20 and multilateral institutions.
Hezbollah Is in Venezuela to Stay
Feb 11, 2019
Whatever the benefits of replacing the current Venezuelan regime with Washington's preferred alternative, Juan Guaidó, there's reason to doubt that it would change the country's problematic relationship with Hezbollah. Hezbollah is well-entrenched in Venezuela, where it has established a vast infrastructure for its criminal activities.
In Venezuela, a Potential U.S.-Russian Crisis?
Jan 8, 2019
In December, two supersonic nuclear-capable Russian bombers visited Venezuela, the third such excursion for the warplanes since 2008. Might Moscow intend to pose a threat, perhaps even nuclear, to the Western Hemisphere? If so, how could Washington respond?
The Good and Bad of the Trump Administration's New Africa Strategy
Dec 20, 2018
The Trump administration's Africa strategy combines a turn away from counterterrorism as a priority, emphasis on trade, and working to help Africans solve their own problems, all of which could be opportunities for a more positive relationship. The implied prioritization of great power competition, however, suggests the real risk of a return to Cold War-era approach.
Social media in Africa presents double-edged sword
Nov 5, 2018
The spread of social media in Africa has brought many economic and political benefits, while also equipping terrorist groups with a tool for recruitment and propaganda. Researchers examined the links between social media use and online radicalisation in six African countries, drawing on primary Twitter data analysis.
Cameroon's Days as Reliable U.S. Partner May Be Numbered
Oct 26, 2018
The Cameroonian government is becoming more authoritarian under President Paul Biya. His re-election could be bad news for Cameroon and the region, but also for the United States.
Reforming Security Assistance for Africa
Oct 25, 2018
Recent RAND analysis of U.S. security sector assistance (SSA) to Africa shows a mixed record. For most of the past quarter-century, SSA has been highly inefficient, achieving no aggregate reduction in insurgencies or terrorism in the countries that received the assistance.