As AI continues to evolve and influence global economies and our daily lives, many Latin American countries are taking significant steps to regulate this advancing technology whilst trying to harness its potential in a responsible manner. With a focus on ethics, safety and inclusivity in development, many nations are engaging with individual and legislative efforts alongside international cooperation to address the challenges and opportunities AI could present.

In August, the first shipment of copper left the port of Lobito in Angola and headed for Baltimore in the US. The copper originates from the southern regions of the DRC and was transported by the recently completed Lobito Atlantic Railway, which connects southern DRC, known in combination with northern Zambia as the copper belt. The railway was built by a joint venture between Trafigura, Mota-Engil, and Vecturis, heavily financed by the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), with the US as one of the main financiers.

Five years have passed since violence against Indigenous women and girls was declared a national emergency after a report released by The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women gave 231 recommendations (‘Calls for Justice’) for legal and social change across 18 policy areas in need of reform. The report also found that Indigenous women and girls were 12 times more likely to be murdered or missing than other women in Canada. Since the report was released only two have been completed whilst more than half haven’t been started, whilst others haven’t been allocated sufficient funding.

The August 9 gathering of Central Asian leaders and Azerbaijan in Astana highlighted a growing spirit of regional cooperation, with a focus on sustainable development. Kazakh President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasised the potential of Central Asia to contribute significantly to the global Sustainable Development Agenda, while Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev echoed the sentiment of transforming Central Asia into a region of good-neighbourliness and mutual benefit.

The new Portuguese government has taken the first steps to implement its housing plan, prioritising younger demographics. Young people in Portugal up to the age of 35 will be able to purchase their first property with a mortgage with a state guarantee. Along with other government-designed measures like exemptions from stamp duty and municipal taxes on property transfers, the new provision aims to assist young people who find it difficult to rent or purchase affordable housing.

A new report published by development agency FSD Africa and impact advisory Shortlist, supported by Boston Consulting Group, predicts a greener economy could generate millions of new jobs in some of Africa’s largest countries. More specifically, the research forecasts that 3.3 million jobs could be generated on the continent by 2030.

On 26 June, a group of military personnel, led by former-Commander of the Armed Forces Juan José Zuñiga, led an apparent coup attempt in Bolivia. The coup was directed towards President Luis Arce, who assumed office in 2020, and is a member of the leftist Movement for Socialism (MAS), a political party. In recent years, President Luis Arce has faced significant opposition from former president Evo Morales, despite both belonging to the same political party, MAS. Evo Morales was president between 2006 and 2019.

At one point the National Healthcare Service (NHS) was idolised across the Globe; however, in the 21st century the NHS has been cast into a detrimental state of crisis. In the last year, Britain’s healthcare service experienced the longest period of industrial action in the history of the NHS. A six day walkout resulted in the postponement of over 113,000 appointments, procedures and operations. Additionally, recent surveys have indicated that a third of doctors in the UK are likely to relocate abroad, and of those considering 79% cited pay as a driving factor, with 75% stating they felt “undervalued professionally.”

Morocco is set to acquire two advanced spy satellites from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in a deal reportedly worth $1 billion(£770,840,000). This significant purchase marks a major shift in Morocco's defence procurement strategy and highlights the growing ties between Morocco and Israel following the normalisation of relations as part of the Abraham Accords in 2020.

Polis Analysis looks forward to the introduction of many of the Bills announced in the King’s Speech, specifically those that we believe could help address intergenerational unfairness in the UK and address some of the major challenges facing young people currently.

In this report, we set out an alternative manifesto, providing insight into how we would address various policy areas disproportionately affecting young people, such as housing, economic opportunity and prosperity. We hope to build on these solutions and provide more detail and insight in the near future. We look forward to initiating and leading discussions across these issues.

On Saturday 29th of June, the citizens of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania were called to the ballot for the presidential elections. The Northwestern African country saw leader Mohamed Ould El Ghazouani re-elected with over 56% of the votes, according to the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).

Approximately 9,000 NATO troops have carried out military drills in the Baltic region this month, from 7 June to 20 June, in the annual Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise, organised by NATO. The Baltic region has become increasingly sensitive since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The operation consists of army, ground, and naval exercises in the Baltic Sea and other locations in Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden. The manoeuvres mark the involvement of Sweden’s armed forces with NATO for the first time since its entry into the military alliance earlier this year.

US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to a 10-year security agreement last week, which is intended to focus on aiding Ukraine’s ongoing defence against Russia and helping to progress their ambitions of NATO membership. This agreement was announced during a G7 summit taking place in Italy, where the group announced a programme of further economic support to Ukraine.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have detained at least 11 United Nations personnel and several other aid workers in an apparent coordinated crackdown. The abductions, which took place in various parts of the war-torn country, underscore the challenges facing humanitarian workers in Yemen, where a long-running civil war has precipitated one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, announced the establishment of additional Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the country's territorial seas. The Dominican Republic expanded protected areas around the Silver Banks and La Navidad, in the island's northeast. The government also created the Orlando Jorge Mera Marine Sanctuary on the south coast, surrounding Beata Island. The sanctuary is named after the previous minister of the environment, who was assassinated in June 2022 for his efforts in environmental protection, particularly of oceans.

On 24 May 2024, Kenyan President William Ruto capped off a three-day visit to the United States. This marked the first state visit to the US by an African leader in over 16 years as Joe Biden welcomed the leader and ushered in a package of measures and pledges to strengthen the two countries’ cooperation efforts.

Since the beginning of this year, cocoa prices have been soaring. Starting in January at 4509.13 USD per ton (3568.06 GBP) they have increased to a record high of 12538.81 USD (9921.91 GBP) which entails a 178 % increase in 4 months. The price surge has been caused by rapidly declining yields of farmers in West Africa, leaving an opportunity for other producers to jump in.

On 6 May 2024, the World Bank approved a $138.5 million loan to help Namibia improve the reliability of the country’s transmission network and enable increased integration of renewable energy into the country’s electricity system. The project will be implemented by the national electricity utility, NamPower.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry has served as acting President since his predecessor Jovenel Moïse's assassination in July 2021. While national elections to formally elect the President and a new parliament were initially scheduled for November 2021, they have been continually postponed. In 2023, the terms of the last democratically elected officials expired, leaving the country without an elected government.