News From Africa - Press review

K enya

Examining the Real Issues at Stake in Post-Elections Crisis

In normal circumstances of conflict, compromise, and other means of arbitration, conciliation, negotiation and so forth are useful and usually receive attention.

24 January 2008 - Dr. Mumma C.A. M

Kenya

The poverty of international journalism

The author considers three particularly dangerous, pervasive myths and misrepresentations that have appeared in the media in the USA - and elsewhere - in covering Kenya's post election crisis. DN

23 January 2008 - n Barbieri

South Africa

The curse of South Africa

Mineral wealth has distorted the economy for generations. Moeletsi Mbeki, brother of South Africa's president on why people want jobs not handouts

17 January 2008 - Moeletsi Mbeki

Kenya

Former Presidents Chissano, Masire, Mkapa and Kaunda concluded their mission designed to assess the post election situation and offer advice on the modalities and mechanisms for the resolution of the crisis in Kenya. The four former Presidents released a press statement in which they, amongst other things, urged all concerned parties to take urgent steps to stop the killings, violence and address the root causes.

13 January 2008 - Africa Forum Mission to Kenya

Kenya

Church leader urges Kenyan politicians: Negotiate for peace now

6 January 2008 - Fredrick Nzwili

NEPAD/AU

Women's access to land crucial for Africa's development

The rural economy of almost all countries of the continent depends on women who are deprived the right to own land. Land ownership is fundamental to enable women to use it as collateral to secure bank loans. Four workshops have been earmarked by the Chair of the AU Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment

28 November 2006 - Nepad news

Africa

Rich Africa, poor Africans

In a century experiencing huge technological advancements and globalisation Africa is still struggling against poverty, wars, corruption, in a word, against underdevelopment. Responsibility for all these resides on national governments and on the International Community.

27 November 2006 - Peter Mafany Tome

South Africa

The business of corporate social investment - Is enough being done?

This is a good discussion of the interfaces of corporate social investment and civil society organisations. CSI remains a blurred subject for both corporations and NGOs. Private sector funding accounts for 25% of all non-profit income in South Africa; however, this investment apparently has no real impact on poverty. DN.

15 September 2006 - Badumile Duma

Zambia

China's growing role

China's ascendance as a global economic superpower obviously poses a threat to what the author calls "the culture of domination by the economically strong [West]". African countries might choose to associate with China not only because it produces more affordable goods, but because of cultural similarities and a sense of humility quite opposite from Western self-congratulation. While the risk remains that China, too, could become an economic and political colonizer, Chinese assistance to Zambia has so far come with no strings attached. This experience can serve as an example for a new direction in human relations worldwide.

14 September 2006 - Gabriel Banda

Ecology

Interview: Wangari Maathai on development, the environment and globalization

Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, is interviewed about the effects of globalization, debt cancellation, deforestation and multi-national corporarions have on the environment. How poverty affects deforestation, the role of multinational corporations, the commitment to justice by the leadership, and role of the African Diaspora are also included.

5 September 2006 - Peter Hardie, Mwiza Munthali, Alexander Baramki

AU/NEPAD

Media and the New Partnership for Africa's Development: which way for the African media?

On seeing the ubiquitous TV images of ... the horrors of hurricane Katrina in the US, some bloggers and phone-in enthusiasts in Africa confessed that they initially thought that this was another catastrophe taking place on the continent.

25 August 2006 - Andrew Kanyegirire and Lilian Ndangam

Sudan

A crisis within a crisis

"Over the past few months, humanitarian organizations in Darfur have become the focus of armed attacks, forcing a suspension of humanitarian activities in certain areas. ACT-Caritas water committees continued to work during the suspensions, providing clean water to their communities. But if the pattern of violence is sustained, will they be able to cope?"

24 August 2006 - Charlotte Brudenell

Africa/Gender

Breaking the HIV/AIDS spell in Africa with Muslim women

A legal framework that just addresses the public health dimensions of HIV/AIDS and not the intimate aspects of personal relationships that maintain the status-quo in power relations between the sexes is not good enough. The author reminds us that looking at women as full partners in a relationship enables them to act and bargain for power, equality and social justice. More sustainable prevention options will come from understanding the interactions that shape and inform individual HIV/AIDS experiences.

19 June 2006 - Salma Maoulidi

Africa

Promoting a culture of accountability in Africa

Tuesday marked the launch of Trust Africa, a new foundation based in Dakar, Senegal that will focus on conflict resolution, trade, and increasing democracy in Africa. Trust Africa has been operating for the past five years as part of the Ford Foundation, but will now be run independently from Dakar with an all-African board of directors. In the speech below, given to mark the launch of the foundation, John Githongo discusses democracy and governance on the African continent

9 June 2006 - John Githongo

Gender

Reviewing the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa

Institutional structures and protocols aren't necessarily exciting on the surface, but they are often the architecture essential for change. The speed with which the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa was ratified broke all records for the ratification of continental human rights instruments in Africa. By 25th November 2005, the Protocol came into force having received the required 15 ratifications.

24 May 2006 - Irungu Houghton