If democracy is a government of the people, kleptocracy is a government of thieves.
Ethiopia: Licensed to Steal
read more
Africa
Sudan’s Divorce Proceedings
The Obama administration is grappling with a volatile diplomatic crisis in Sudan this year. With two violent conflicts on the brink of escalation, a president indicted for war crimes, and an election next month, Sudan is set to explode. The country is also preparing for a January 2011 referendum on independence for the south that will determine the fate of the country.
Africa: C
Africans greeted Barack Obama’s presidential election with excitement and hope. Few ever imagined that a son of Africa would come to inhabit the most powerful office in the world. One year on, however, Obama’s legacy in Africa remains unclear.
Africa Needs Strong Institutions, Not Strongmen
President Barack Obama’s election brought jubilation to the streets of Nigeria. However, hopes for a new U.S. engagement with Africa under the Obama administration are dimming. Nigerians are rankled by two high-profile events that illustrate how U.S. foreign policy still ignores the opinions and perceptions of African people.
Ghana’s 2010 oil ‘boom’: Ensuring public interest over private gain
With Ghana on the verge of an oil ‘boom’ in 2010, Mawuli Dake considers the steps and measures needed to ensure the country derives full and equitable benefit from the resource. While Ghana’s mining industry has historically been characterised by a lack of transparency and the dominance of foreign multinational interests, Dake stresses that the burgeoning oil industry must not be allowed to go the same way.
A Fond Farewell to Dennis Brutus
In this interview, I spoke with Dennis Brutus about his experiences as a poet and lifelong activist six months before his death in December 2009.
Piracy Redux
Over a year after the scourge of piracy escalated in the Gulf of Aden, the world is still mired in misguided and misdirected militarist policies. Meanwhile, millions of Somalis are caught in desperate circumstances. One-third of the country is on the run. Thousands choose to make the horrendous trek to Kenya where they face relatively safe, yet empty lives in refugee camps. At the African Union summit last month, diplomats lamented that even though Somalia was a major security threat, it didn’t get anywhere near the attention that Afghanistan received.
Equatorial Guinea: The good, the bad and the ugly
Agustín Velloso looks at Obiang’s controversial effort to obtain wider global respect and appreciation through the creation of an international prize in partnership with UNESCO.
60-Second Expert: Africa Policy Outlook 2010
Obama’s first year has come and gone, and not much has changed in U.S. policy toward Africa. The next year will thus be critical for Obama and for Africa. He should take the opportunity to begin a new era in U.S.-Africa relations by putting people at the center of development and placing respect for human rights, the environment, peace, and justice at center stage.
60-Second Expert: Africa Policy Outlook 2010
Obama’s first year has come and gone, and not much has changed in U.S. policy toward Africa. The next year will thus be critical for Obama and for Africa. He should take the opportunity to begin a new era in U.S.-Africa relations by putting people at the center of development and placing respect for human rights, the environment, peace, and justice at center stage.