Africa Archives - Page 51 of 164 - Foreign Policy In Focus

Sudan: Third Civil War?

by Terah Edun | Jun 1, 2011

On May 22, 5,000 Northern Sudanese troops invaded Abyei, violating several peace agreements with South Sudan. It only took two days for the Northern Sudanese army to overrun the South Sudanese troops with a combined aerial and infantry campaign. According to UN estimates, the invasion forced 25,000 – 30,000 individuals to flee the area. This invasion could represent an effort by Khartoum to gain a firm foothold in Abyei before the formal declaration of independence by South Sudan on July 9.

Uganda: Ally Gone Bad?

by Nicholas Young | May 25, 2011

The excessive violence with which Ugandan security forces have over the last month cracked down on initially peaceful opposition protests at soaring food and fuel prices, and which last weekovershadowed the inauguration of re-elected President Yoweri Museveni, is almost as puzzling as it is disturbing.

All Roads Lead Back to China

by Khadija Sharife | May 24, 2011

Ghanaian cocoa, Gabonese iron and Congolese oil have been swapped for construction of dams (Bui, Poubara, and River Dam), allowing Chinese corporations such as Sinohydro to capture the bulk of Africa’s hydropower market. The ‘barter system’ thus enables China to export goods and labour, facilitating for China the opportunity to ‘import’ their recycled project capital in addition to African resources. In the process, China has activated arguably the same ‘Western’ capitalist vehicles of engagement…

WikiLeaks: Mauritanian Child Brides Embody the Dark Side of Globalization

by Michael Busch | May 23, 2011

Young Mauritanian girls married off to wealthy Saudis are used briefly as sex slaves and then discarded.

Next Steps on Congo

by Kambale Musavuli | May 18, 2011

For the past 14 years, more than six million Congolese have perished in the ongoing conflict triggered by U.S. allies Rwanda and Uganda when they invaded Congo in 1996. As the world focuses on the Western intervention in Libya under the guise of moral responsibility to protect the vulnerable, the global community must question the lack of action by the United States and the coalition on the millions dead in the Congo.

Are ‘African Lions’ Really Roaring?

by Patrick Bond | May 13, 2011

Patrick Bond makes a stinging critique of the recent report of the African Development Bank that claims that ‘one in three Africans is middle class’ and as a result, Africa is ready for ‘take off’.

Microcredit on Trial: The Sacking of Muhammad Yunus

by Mark Engler | May 10, 2011

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has become the fall guy for microcredit’s abuses by major banks.

Mercenaries Once Again Operating at the “Tip of the Spear” in Africa

by Laurence Hull | May 10, 2011

If private military and security companies are here to stay in Africa, their lack of accountability for criminal acts needs to be addressed.

The Future of South Sudan

by Terah Edun | Apr 28, 2011

On July 9, 2011 South Sudan is expected to become an independent state, Africa’s 54th. Prior to that date, much preparation must be done to establish a vigorous economy, stable government, and peaceful society. The name and capital of the country have yet to be officially declared. Issues of debt, oil, aid, and borders also remain undecided.

Beyond Gbagbo’s Last Stand

by Abena Ampofoa Asare | Apr 25, 2011

After the drama of Laurent Gbagbo’s capture in Abidjan, international attention has swung away from Cote d’Ivoire. At the precise moment when external voices for justice are most necessary, the cameras and critics seem to have moved on. Reducing Cote d’Ivoire’s political struggle to the recent presidential contest is a profound misunderstanding of the complexity of the Ivorian conflict and a sure way to miss the path toward peace.