Sub-Saharan Africa is currently witnessing a proliferation of innovative startups, brimming with immense potential, yet grappling with formidable adversities that hinder the realisation of their latent capabilities to tangible economic benefits and substantial developmental progress for the region. Employing a qualitative research approach, this study investigates the internal and external factors that shape the growth and success trajectories of startups. Through startup strategic leadersand founders' lenses, the inquiry explores the tools employed to monitor progress and an examination of their understanding of sustainability as perceived from the vantage point of startup leadership. Drawing from a rich tapestry of conceptual frameworks and first-hand survey and interview findings, the analysis traverses’ diverse terrains. It encompasses an exploration of the transformative shift from resource-based to knowledge economies, discussing the phenomenon of leapfrogging and the profound impact of digital technology adoption on entrepreneurial endeavours in the region. The study also examines startup, growth and success definitions and their life cycles within the distinctive landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa, while concurrently delving into the pivotal role played by institutions in facilitating or impeding the trajectory of these nascent ventures. Ultimately, the paper ascertains that while internal factors undoubtedly exert influence on the rise of startups, external factors such as institutional policies, coupled with other constraints, continue to exert a significant influence on the potential progression of these enterprises as compared to internal factors. However, the study underscores that it is imperative for startups to remain cognizant, adequately prepared, and adept at managing both internal and external factors that shape their growth and success. It also calls for further research aimed at formulating effective strategies to support startups to navigate both internal and external challenges, particularly for startups operating within the confines of constrained budgets. / Subsahariska Afrika har för närvarande en explosionsartad tillväxt av innovativa startups, med enorm potential. Samtidigt brottas regionen med problem som hindrar förverkligandet av dessa latenta möjligheter till ekonomisk utveckling och framsteg för regionen. Med hjälp av en kvalitativforskningsansats undersöker denna studie de interna och externa faktorer som formar tillväxt och framgång för startups. Genom perspektiv från grundare och strategiska ledare för startups utforskar undersökningen de verktyg som används för att följa företagets framsteg och granska förståelsen för hållbarhet ur ett ledarskaps perspektiv. Med utgångspunkt från ett rikt spektrum av konceptuella ramverk samt resultat från en enkätundersökning och intervjuer omfattar analysen flera olika områden. Den omfattar en undersökning av transformationen från resursbaserade till kunskapsbaserade ekonomier, diskuterar fenomenet “leapfrogging” och effekten av implementeringen av digital teknologi på entreprenöriella företag i regionen. Studien diskuterar även definitioner av startups, tillväxt och framgång, samt företagens livscykler inom den särskilda kontext som utgör det subsahariska Afrika. Därutöver diskuteras den avgörande roll som institutioner spelar för att underlätta eller hindra dessa nystartade företags framgång. Slutligen visar uppsatsen att medans interna faktorer otvivelaktigt påverkar uppkomsten av startups, har externa faktorer såsom institutionella policys och andra begränsningar fortfarande en betydande inverkan på dessa företags potentiella framgång jämfört med interna faktorer. Studien betonar dock att det är avgörande för startups att vara medvetna, väl förberedda och skickliga på att hantera både interna och externa faktorer som formar deras tillväxt och framgång. Studien föreslår också till ytterligare forskning när det gäller att formulera effektiva strategier som stödjer startups att navigera både interna och externa utmaningar, särskilt för de som verkar inom begränsade budgetramar.

Many nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, supported by donors, have increased efforts in their rural water supply programmes within the last few decades. However, these programmes suffer from a range of challenges and problems and, according to recent figures, over half of rural inhabitants in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to safe water supplies. In order to improve the delivery of rural water services, effective monitoring and evaluation can provide support. Uganda has recently been recognised for improving its national programme for rural water supply. Furthermore, the country has also introduced programme monitoring and evaluation. However, these undertakings have not been unproblematic. Based on interviews and a document review, this study identifies challenges and difficulties that Uganda has encountered in developing both rural water supply and the corresponding monitoring and evaluation framework. From an analysis of the results, it is apparent that both the rural water supply programme and the monitoring and evaluation frame-work are constrained by political and institutional factors at district level. As a way forward, it is suggested that the roles and responsibilities currently accorded to district politicians are re-thought. Capacity-building efforts should be expanded, and should encompass other district actors such as politicians and extension workers. Monitoring and evaluation of the rural water supply programme could be improved by strengthening its relevance at district level. While further capacity-building efforts may promote its relevance, monitoring and evaluation could also be developed together with district actors in order to better support district decision-making processes. Such actions could help in overcoming current difficulties, and could lead to better information management in support of the rural water supply programme. / <p>QC 20101124</p>

What is the impact of disease burden on democracy in sub-Saharan Africa? Despite increasing interest in the implications of health crises for state stability, there has been a dearth of literature exploring the relationship between disease burden more generally and democracy specifically. This thesis takes a comprehensive approach to bridge this gap in the literature. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, it draws on data from the Global Burden of Disease database and the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) dataset to analyze this relationship. The diseases studied are categorized as long-wave (e.g., HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis), short-wave (e.g., Ebola and lower respiratory infections), or endemic (e.g., malaria and an aggregate of other infectious diseases). In terms of democracy, this thesis focuses on civil liberties and civil society. Having utilized a linear regression, controlling for economic variables, this study found a positive and significant relationship between long-wave diseases and both civil liberties and civil society; a negative and significant relationship between Ebola and both civil liberties and civil society; a positive and significant relationship between lower respiratory infections and both civil liberties and civil society; and, finally, a positive and significant relationship between the other infectious disease aggregate and civil society. Ultimately, there was no significant relationship between the other diseases studied and the democratic variables. By identifying past relationships between particular kinds of diseases and manifestations of democracy, we can establish a baseline from which to project our expectations about how emerging diseases like COVID-19 will impact the practice of democracy.

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The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between trade liberalization, measured using the Heritage Foundation’s Trade Freedom indicator, and human development, measured using the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Index, in subSaharan Africa’s Least Developed Countries between 1990 and 2011 as data allows. In addition to exploring the relationship between these two variables, alternative factors that influence human development are examined in bivariate correlations with human development as well as used as control variables in a multiple regression analysis. Namely, this study includes government effectiveness, the percentage of the labor force employed in the agricultural sector, the percent of Gross Domestic Product made up of the sale of agricultural products, geography, and armed conflict as control variables. By conducting a cross-national bivariate correlation analysis as well as a cross-national multiple regression analysis for the years between 1990 and 2011, this study highlights how, when included in a model with control variables, trade liberalization goes from being a statistically significant predictor of human development index scores to losing its significance altogether. The results from this study indicate that trade liberalization, government effectiveness, and geography, more specifically being landlocked or not, do not have statistically significant effects on human development for LDCs in the region. However, this study finds that for every unit increase in the percentage of the labor force working in agriculture as well as the percentage of GDP made up by agricultural products, a lower human development score can be expected. Armed conflict also has a statistically significant, negative effect on human development.

This report seeks to describe the status of kidney disease and renal replacement therapy in lower-resource settings, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Acute kidney injury and transplantation are included on a limited basis because it is impossible consider the renal replacement therapy landscape at the exclusion of either. As in the rest of the developing world, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease place a sizable and rapidly growing burden on sub-Saharan Africa, and Africans face a double-burden of disease from communicable and non-communicable diseases. Meanwhile, renal replacement therapy and the subspecialty of nephrology are expanding in sub-Saharan Africa, from non-existence in many countries to a limited, tentative subsistence, largely with the support of international organizations and the dedication of local nephrologists. Hemodialysis is the most common form of renal replacement therapy in sub-Saharan Africa, but peritoneal dialysis services, particularly for acute kidney injury, are growing and renal transplants are performed in a few sub-Saharan countries. Nonetheless, in the majority of sub-Saharan Africa, maintenance dialysis is still only available to the wealthy urban few. Although peritoneal dialysis may seem more feasible in the developing world than hemodialysis for multiple reasons, it is still fraught with challenges that make widespread implementation presently unadvisable. As renal replacement therapy is costly and currently unaffordable on a large scale for most of these countries, emphasis must be on identifying at-risk populations through screening and low-cost treatment or management of risk factors to mitigate chronic kidney disease.

Climate change is today an urgent threat, posing grave danger and requiring immediate attention. In order to adapt to the changes, policies, plans, and programmes have been created all over the world, such as the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Several authors and organisations have advocated for the importance of integrating a gender perspective into such climate change documents (Skinner, 2011; Bee, Biermann, and Tschakert, 2013; Lau et al., 2021). Nevertheless, at the time of writing, research is missing on NAPs in regard to gender. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to fill this gap through an analysis of the NAPs with a focus on gender. The sample is 12 countries, all from Sub-Saharan Africa because of the area’s high relevance regarding climate change. The objective of the thesis is to analyse the content of the selected NAPs regarding the integration of gender considerations. Using the theoretical framework of Gender and Development (GAD), the thesis aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of how the chosen NAPs address gender-related concerns. The methodology is a qualitative abductive desk study through qualitative content analysis. The findings suggest that gender considerations are not very well integrated into the NAPs and that women are primarily framed as vulnerable and very rarely as having key capacities or being agents of change. Additionally, from the perspective of GAD, several shortcomings are identified.

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The global migration crisis has brought to light many issues related to integrating migrants intotheir host countries. Employment is a critical component of integration, as it provides individualswith financial stability, a sense of purpose, and a means of contributing to their new society.However, employment outcomes for migrants vary widely depending on factors such as theircountry of origin, education level, language skills, and discrimination. In Sweden, MiddleEastern and Sub-Saharan African migrants face significant barriers to employment, which canlimit their ability to integrate into Swedish society. This thesis focused on and explored theemployment outcomes for Middle Eastern and Sub-Saharan African migrants in Malmo, Sweden.In a qualitative design and purposive sampling, 20 participants from Middle Eastern and Sub-Saharan African living in Malmo were interviewed using semi-structured interviews in threeweeks. The findings revealed that the means of finding employment, discrimination, skillsrecognition, and social networks as key factors influencing employment among immigrants inMalmo, Sweden. A short overview of the challenges and policies implemented to improve theiremployment prospects was presented.