The National Treasury building in Nairobi. [File, Standard] In many ways, 2025 is shaping up to be a historic turning point. Just weeks ago, the IMF signalled the dawn of a new global economic order—one that will replace frameworks that have governed global finance for nearly 80 years. The Catholic Church is now led by its first US pontiff, Pope Leo XIV. His chosen name is no coincidence: Pope Leo XIII, his namesake, was renowned for his concern about the rights and welfare of workers during the Industrial Revolution. Now, Pope Leo XIV has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) presents…
Author: By Ken Gichinga and Denise Laila
US President Donald Trump during the National Prayer Breakfast at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 6, 2025. [AFP] As the United States pivots inward, embracing protectionist policies under President Donald Trump, the rest of the world must reckon with a new economic reality defined by transactional trade relations, strategic tariffs, and recalibrated global alliances. For Kenya, the message is clear: The days of depending on generous market access to foreign economies, particularly the US, are numbered. The global trade regime is undergoing a seismic shift. Free trade and open markets formed the cornerstone of international economic cooperation…