African air transport is expected to take off after the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) launch in January 2018. Unfortunately, this seems not to be the case, particularly in West Africa, where adequate direct local flight is highly difficult to find. Hence, the fundamental question is: what levers should be activated for an effective revival of this sector? This paper aims to analyze West African air transport competitiveness factors by collecting data physically through surveys in various West African airports (Abidjan, Cotonou, Accra, Lome) also by interviewing professionals in the sector (Air traffic controllers, Air Navigation Service Providers, Air transports Managers, etc.) and among others, SAATM reports to appreciate its implementation. We were able to survey 435 actors (individuals and key informants) from January to July 2023 to evaluate quality of service, airline performance, safety, customer satisfaction etc. Airline operating costs were analyzed to understand the associated bottlenecks. The results show that SAATM is not yet well implemented in all contracting states, travelers are not satisfied with the air supply (airlines, infrastructure and fares) and taxation excessively increases ticket prices. The main factors for West African air transport take-off are liberalization, taxation and infrastructure investments.

 Landscape architects, who guide planning and design decisions by understanding the socio-cultural expectations, functional needs, and social behaviors of the community, create ideal spaces for people by integrating natural, social, cultural, and aesthetic factors with a holistic design approach in urban public areas. Public open green spaces are important urban areas that have a positive impact on people’s physical, mental, and emotional health. In this context, the concept of personal space, its impact on individuals, and related perception studies have been examined. In landscape design, criteria that affect individuals’ personal space distances and personal space perceptions have been identified, providing a basis for sustainable landscape design projects in public open and green spaces.

This study explores the complex dynamics of handling augmented reality (AR) data in higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Although there is a growing interest in incorporating augmented reality (AR) to improve learning experiences, there are still issues in efficiently managing the data produced by these apps. This study attempts to understand the elements that affect AR data management by examining the relationship between the investigated variables: faculty readiness, technological limits, financial constraint, and student engagement on data management in higher education institutions in the UAE, building on earlier research that has identified these problems. The research analyzes financial constraints, technological infrastructure, and faculty preparation to understand their impact on AR data management. The study collected detailed empirical data on AR data management in UAE higher education environments using a quantitative research methods approach, surveys. The reasons for choosing this research method include cost-effectiveness, flexibility in questionnaire design, anonymity and confidentiality involved in the chosen methods. The results of this study are expected to enhance academic discourse by highlighting the obstacles and remedies to improving the efficiency of AR technology data management at higher education institutions. The findings are expected to enlighten decision-making in higher education institutions on maximizing AR technology’s benefits for improved learning outcomes.

Objectives: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the stress on blood banks and deprived the blood sources due to the containment measures that restrict the movement and travel limitations among blood donors. During this time, Malaysia had a significant 40% reduction in blood supply. Blood centers and hospitals faced a huge challenge balancing blood demand and collection. The health care systems need a proactive plan to withstand the uncertain situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates the psychosocial factors that affect blood donation behavior during a pandemic and aims to propose evidence-based strategies for a sustainable blood supply. Study design: Qualitative design using focus group discussion (FGD) was employed. Methods: Data were acquired from the two FGDs that group from transfusion medicine specialists (N = 8) and donors (N = 10). The FGD interview protocol was developed based on the UTM Research Ethics Committee’s approval. Then, the data was analyzed using Nvivo based on the General Inductive Approach (GIA). Results: Analysis of the text data found that the psychology of blood donation during the pandemic in Malaysia can be classified into four main themes: (i) reduced donation; (ii) motivation of donating blood; (iii) trends of donation; and (iv) challenges faced by the one-off, occasional, and non-donors. Conclusions: Based on the emerging themes from the FGDs, this study proposes four psycho-contextual strategies for relevant authorities to manage sustainable blood accumulation during the pandemic: (1) develop standard operating procedure for blood donors; (2) organize awareness campaigns; (3) create a centralized integrated blood donors database; and (4) provide innovative Blood Donation Facilities.

The maize commodity is of strategic significance to the South African economy as it is a stable commodity and therefore a key factor for food security. In recent times climate change has impacted on the productivity of this commodity and this has impacted trade negatively. This paper explores the intricate relationship between climatic factors and trade performance for the South African maize. Secondary annual time series data spanning 2001 to 2023, was sourced from an abstract from Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and World Bank’s Climate Change Knowledge Portal. Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration technique was used as an empirical model to assess the long-term and short-term relationships between explanatory variables and the dependent variable. Results of the ARDL model show that, average annual rainfall (β = 2.184, p = 0.056), fertilizer consumption (β = 1.919, p = 0.036), gross value of production (β = 1.279 , p = 0.006) and average annual surface temperature (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and change in temperature for previous years, (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and the effects towards coefficient change for export volumes, (β = 0.669, p = 0.0007). In overall, as a recommendation, South African policymakers should consider these findings when developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of some of these climatic factors and implementing adaptive strategies for maize producers.