Jorrit Oppewal
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jorritoppewal.bsky.social
Jorrit Oppewal
@jorritoppewal.bsky.social
Economics, development, Africa. Working at Dutch Advisory Council on International Affairs, for NL government and parliament.

Posts my own, mostly in English, some in Dutch. Also interested in music, football.
"Africa must avoid resuming its historic role as only an exporter of natural resources with little added value. By leveraging emerging policy space, regional platforms like the AfCFTA, and ambitious industrial strategies, the continent can chart a new course toward shared prosperity."
There is an upside to geopolitical fragmentation, according to Ellen Davies, Chema Triki, and @nimrodzalk.bsky.social: the rules and systems that have constrained Africa’s development and industrial policies are being eroded. bit.ly/4io3x8j
How Africa Can Meet Its Green Industrialization Imperative
Ellen Davies, Chema Triki and Nimrod Zalk urge governments to take advantage of the policy space created by the unraveling of the multilateral order.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Today marks exactly 25 years since the #murder of #journalist Carlos Cardoso, in Maputo, #Mozambique 🇲🇿

His career coincided with first decades of MOZ independence, drawn up in this great book.

Cardoso deserves to be remembered as a hero of investigative journalism in Southern Africa.
November 22, 2025 at 6:25 PM
A very important graph!

The good news: pace of poverty reduction was phenomenal during 2000-2020.

Mostly on account of econ growth & transformation in Asia.

Since then, poverty reduction has stalled. Key to future progress will be unlocking economic transformation & industrialization in Africa.
In the last decades, the world has made fantastic progress against extreme poverty. In 1990, 2.3 billion people lived in extreme poverty. Since then, the number of extremely poor people has declined by 1.5 *billion* people. 🧵
November 18, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Jorrit Oppewal
For @foreignpolicy.com I did a deep dive on Brazil's effort to keep climate cooperation alive despite highly adverse geopolitics. While some have said the U.S. retreat on this issue creates an opening for China, Brazil is also flexing its voice as a middle power and raising 🧵
November 13, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Great listen.

Very relevant for EU, given the need to listen better to Global South: @afrobarometer.bsky.social is an essential channel for doing so.

Its CEO Asunka points out that #Jobs is the predominant concern of Africa's citizens.

open.spotify.com/episode/4Krw...
Africa’s pulse: Listening to citizens in an age of uncertainty – Joseph Asunka
open.spotify.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Interview met China 🇨🇳 expert Dan Wang, auteur. An 'Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future'.

"Wie zegt dat Chinese industrie alleen groot is geworden door overheidssubsidies en tech-diefstal onderschat de Chinezen"

www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
Chinese aanpak kan de Amerikanen hun optimisme teruggeven, zegt deze populaire China-expert
Dan Wang | China-expert: China is een land van ingenieurs die dingen bouwen waar de bevolking trots op is, waar ‘juristenland’ Amerika veel van kan leren, zegt de Amerikaanse China-expert Wang. „Wie z...
www.nrc.nl
November 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Very true: the world is not short of climate commitments. What is missing is the ability to deliver fast, fair & durable progress.

That is why investing in #state #capacity to work on implementation, through effective country platforms, is so essential.
Climate policy is health policy: @who.int estimates that climate breakdown will cause approx. 250k additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. This crisis won’t be solved without state capacity.

Latest in @projectsyndicate.bsky.social on building the state capacity ➡️ buff.ly/Gh4i6Kg
November 16, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Jorrit Oppewal
In a multipolar world, Europe has enough clout to tilt the balance of influence one way or another. The Trump administration’s war on climate give it reasons to seek a green pact with China. But there are geopolitical conditions for such a pact to emerge.
www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/e...
The Case for a European-Chinese Green Pact
Jean Pisani-Ferry & Beatrice Weder di Mauro think both sides have much to gain from pursuing closer economic ties through clean energy and technology.
www.project-syndicate.org
November 7, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Some hard truths here in leadup to AU-EU summit in Luanda 🇦🇴

“Long-standing underlying causes of tension in the relationship are skilfully concealed behind empty slogans of equity, shared values & common interest. This tends to perpetuate perception that these summits operate in a parallel universe”
📣 AU-EU summits follow an endless loop of euphoric declarations later falling in to skepticism. How can the relationship break into something more productive, now that a new geopolitics demands it?

Read the commentary 👉 bit.ly/47X2hFk
November 6, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Worrying to see EU leaders pull out of Latin American summit in Colombia 🇨🇴, apparently in part out of fear of angering Trump.

The opposite is needed in current geopolitical context: strengthening relations with the Global South.

See: www.adviesraadinternationalevraagstukken.nl/site/binarie...
www.adviesraadinternationalevraagstukken.nl
November 5, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Looking forward to reading Dani Rodrik's new book, 'Shared Prosperity in a Fractured World: a New Economics for the Middle Class, Global Poor and Our Climate'.

He is calling for an updated version of industrial policies: more experimental, iterative and place-based, with sub-national governments.
November 3, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Trump 🇺🇲 threatens Nigeria 🇳🇬 with military action over violence against Christians - on.ft.com/4qBlpjs @FT

"Some Nigerians compared the issue of alleged Christian persecution in Nigeria with criticisms of South Africa, which Trump has falsely accused of pursuing a genocide against Afrikaner farmers"
Donald Trump threatens Nigeria with military action over violence against Christians
US conservatives have alleged Islamist insurgents in the country are carrying out a genocide
on.ft.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Africa takes lead in emerging market rally as ‘real’ assets attract investors - on.ft.com/436ZpDd via @FT

Booming African stock markets, in countries like 🇿🇦 RSA 🇲🇦 MOR 🇳🇬 NGA & 🇰🇪 KEN
Africa takes lead in emerging market rally as ‘real’ assets attract investors
Record metals prices, a weak dollar and painful reforms are paying off for the continent’s markets
on.ft.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Unprecedented violence in Tanzania 🇹🇿, which had been largely peaceful since independence early 1960s.

"Hundreds are feared dead after authorities shot protesters in cities around the country in days after election"

Sounds a bit like situation in Mozambique 🇲🇿 last Dec.

on.ft.com/4hGjW7E via @FT
Hundreds feared dead in Tanzania as president claims election victory
Election commission says Samia Suluhu Hassan won 98% of vote in poll held amid widespread street protests
on.ft.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Jihadis encircle Mali’s capital as they close in on power - on.ft.com/3LDVd7M via @FT
Jihadis encircle Mali’s capital as they close in on power
Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists tighten blockade around Bamako as military regime reels
on.ft.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Verademing vergeleken met tv-debatten, dit geopolitiek debat met 6 partijen, georganiseerd door @geopolitieknu.bsky.social.

Brede overeenstemming op stelling over samenwerking met mondiale Zuiden, al lopen ideeën over wat precies en vooral ‘hoe’ nog uiteen.

Recent AIV advies kan daarbij helpen! 👇
October 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
De #Nexperia zaak toont hoe diep geopolitieke spanningen 🇺🇸 / 🇨🇳 inmiddels reiken in NL economie.

Goede illustratie van het onwenselijke #geopolitieke scenario waar AIV advies over Mondiale Zuiden voor waarschuwt:

Dat van dominerende #tweestrijd waar andere landen - zoals NL - in worden meegesleept.
October 23, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Reposted by Jorrit Oppewal
The EU should remain cautious as the situation in Madagascar develops, especially given that Randrianirina’s choice of prime minister is already causing some disagreement—but it also needs to stand by the Malagasy people, writes Daria Jankiel @ecfrafrica.bsky.social
https://bit.ly/47oBEYt
From street to state: Madagascar’s new leader and the case for EU engagement
Madagascar’s recent regime change is being described as a coup—but its young people should take the credit. The EU needs to support the Malagasy population and lend its technical expertise to the…
bit.ly
October 22, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Terechte loftrompet over de magistrale D'Angelo - deze week veel te vroeg overleden.

Black Messiah (2014) is één van de beste albums van deze eeuw.

Uit NRC artikel: Vele muzikale invloeden 'samengebracht in werkelijk subliem samenspel' op 'een daverend album'.

Inderdaad.
October 16, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Reposted by Jorrit Oppewal
Fascinating stats from @afrobarometer.bsky.social on which African countries have the most citizens considering emigrating. At the top: The Gambia, Liberia, Ghana, Cabo Verde, Angola, Sierra Leone.

Overall East Africa doing much better than West and Southern Africa.
October 14, 2025 at 3:41 PM
NL 🇳🇱 moet zich niet mee laten sleuren in conflict tussen VS 🇺🇲 & CHN 🇨🇳, zeggen Vincent Chang en @franspaulvdputten.bsky.social.

Komt ook overeen met analyse in recent AIV advies over mondiale Zuiden. www.adviesraadinternationalevraagstukken.nl/documenten/p...

www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
Nederland, Europa en het mondiale Zuiden in een veranderende wereldorde
De invloed van landen in het mondiale Zuiden op de internationale politiek en de wereldeconomie groeit. Volgens de AIV is hernieuwde samenwerking met het mondiale Zuiden cruciaal om de Nederlandse bel...
www.adviesraadinternationalevraagstukken.nl
October 15, 2025 at 9:22 AM
#RIP D’Angelo

Passed away today, way too young (51), of pancreatic cancer.

Absolute master. Black Messiah (2014) is one of the best albums of the 21st century so far.

#DAngelo

D’Angelo and The Vanguard - The Charade (Audio) youtu.be/T3CunfPYkME?si…
D'Angelo and The Vanguard - The Charade (Audio)
YouTube video by DAngeloVEVO
https://youtu.be/T3CunfPYkME?si…
October 14, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Jorrit Oppewal
Leaders of Grenada, Ethiopia, Colombia, DRC, Angola, South Africa, Cabo Verde & Mauritania are in Brussels for VDL's Global Gateway Forum

From Europe, as well as commission, PM of Luxembourg and deputy PMs of Poland and Belgium. As an EU diplomat told me today, not a great look!
October 8, 2025 at 12:19 PM
@nrc.nl over klimaat financiering: "het gevolg is dat steeds groter gat gaapt tussen wat ontwikkelingslanden nodig hebben en wat rijke landen bereid zijn beschikbaar te stellen"

AIV advies 2023 blijft actueel: www.adviesraadinternationalevraagstukken.nl/documenten/p...

www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
Arme landen steken zich in de schulden voor klimaathulp, blijkt uit onderzoek
Klimaatfinanciering: Rijke landen hebben afgesproken om ontwikkelingslanden te helpen met hun klimaatbeleid. Tegen de belofte in doen ze dat vooral via leningen, schrijven ontwikkelingsorganisaties Ox...
www.nrc.nl
October 8, 2025 at 7:15 AM