Adolescent childbearing is a crucial problem challenging policymakers in sub-Saharan African countries. The objective of this study is to show how teenage pregnancy and motherhood is related to social determinants like place of residence, education level and wealth quintiles, and consequently to suggest pragmatic actions susceptible to control the burden of teenage pregnancy. Disaggregated data were analyzed using data covering the decade 2012–2022 and provided by Demographic Health Surveys. In each country considered, the index of dissimilarity (ID) was computed to illustrate the variation of teenage pregnancy and motherhood according to the level of education, the rural-urban residence and the income quintiles. Recent statistics were also used for a comparison between countries. This study showed that childbearing affected 22.7% of African adolescents (15–19 years). However, the rate of adolescent childbearing varied from 40.4% in Nigeria to 5.2% in Ruanda. Moreover, huge differences were found in each country. Teenage girls living in rural areas, illiterate or with low level of education and suffering from poverty are more likely to be early married and to be exposed to pregnancy. The rate of adolescent childbearing is higher in Sub-Saharan African countries compared with countries from Latin America and World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean. Most of the 31 countries considered in this study suffer from high rate of adolescent childbearing and large iniquities by place of residence and/or education level and/or wealth quintiles. Consequently, policymakers should adopt urgent and efficient strategies to reduce (and ideally to end) early marriage and teenage pregnancy by developing a policy that targets disadvantaged girls living in remote areas, having low or no decent income and suffering from illiteracy or low level of education.

Climate change has adverse effects on ecosystems and several socio-economic sectors including health. Indeed, infrastructure, continuity of medical services, and the hospital environment are all directly affected by the effects of climate-related risks. This study aims to describe the observations of the effects of climate change risks on health systems in the Greater Lomé health region of Togo. We used an interview guide and a questionnaire to collect information. The observations allowed us to assess the effects caused by climate risks. According to the results, 84.62% of respondents attest that health centers experience flooding during rainy periods and damage caused by strong winds is noticeable among 76.92% of respondents. More than 25.40% and 61.86% respectively of respondents mention that droughts and floods have effects on health systems. The results of this study will allow health system managers to become aware of how to plan useful actions to facilitate the management of climate-related risks in health facilities in the Greater Lomé health region. In view of all these results, it is necessary that measures be taken to strengthen the resilience of health systems through awareness campaigns and training of actors throughout the health pyramid.

Climate change is causing serious impacts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where poverty rates could increase by 2050 if climate and development measures are not taken. The health consequences are diverse and include transmissible and non-transmissible diseases. The objective of this study is to analyze the strategies implemented in health facilities in the Greater Lomé health region to cope with the impacts of climate change. The survey was carried out in 23 health facilities in 2022. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study which was carried out from July to September 2022. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. Non-probability sampling method and purposive choice technique were used. Four techniques made it possible to collect the data, namely documentary analysis, survey, interview and observation. The collected data were processed with Excel software and exported to SPSS for analysis. In total, 112 people were surveyed out of 161 planned. According to the results, 52.68% of health facilities did not implement adaptation strategies, 47.32% used adaptive strategies depending on to their means. Strategies exist but at low percentages due to limited technical and financial resources and the insufficiency of innovative policies. These strategies need to be supported in order to make them more effective. The study provides a basis for adopting innovative strategies and encouraging financing for adaptation actions.

The objective of the research is twofold. The study examines the role of public finance in promoting sustainable development in SSA. Secondly, the study investigates the optimal level of public finance beyond which public finance crowds out investment and hinders sustainable development in SSA. The study adopts a battery of econometric techniques such as the traditional ordinary least square (OLS) estimation technique, Driscoll-Kraay covariance matrix estimator, and the dynamic panel threshold model. The study found that an increase in public debts lead to a decline in sustainable development. In contrast, the results show that increase in spending on health and education, and tax can engender sustainable development in SSA. Further, we uncover the optimal levels of public spending on health and education, and public debts that engenders sustainable development in SSA. One main implication of the findings is that governments across SSA needs to reduce public debts levels and increase public spending on health and education to within the threshold levels established in this study to aid sustainable development in SSA.

Growing urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa, with its attendant degradation of natural vegetation, is a real scourge. It takes the form of urban sprawl, with its corollary of native vegetation degradation. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of urban sprawl in Brazzaville and the related degradation of the vegetation covering on the urban site. The methodological approach was based on the collection of documentary and field data, as well as the analysis of Landsat satellite images from 2002, 2012 and 2022. The results show a regressive evolution of natural plant formations in favor of urbanization. The area of vegetation cover fell from 17,523 ha in 2002 to 8355.5 ha in 2022, representing a regression rate of 52.32% in 20 years. At the same time, the urban area has grown from 12,164 ha in 2002 to 29,892 ha in 2022, an increase of 145.74%. This deterioration in vegetation cover is reflected in water erosion, resulting in silting-up and flooding of homes and sanitation facilities.

This paper addresses the main logistics challenges in used car maritime traffic from Europe to West Africa. Thus, the methodology (quantitative and qualitative) analyses data from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), from 2015 to 2023 of government and port authorities to show the importance of used car market for mobility and socioeconomic activities. This is supplemented by surveys based on direct observation in the field, questionnaires and interviews involving in Europe 55 stakeholders and 127 in Africa. The results demonstrate that cars used and their parts, but not wrecks, are essential for motorization in West Africa. A pre-export process needs to be set up to ensure that exported vehicles are parked in better condition to meet the required common environmental standards for sustainable mobility.