Press review
- Africa - America
George Bush Visits Africa to promote the US Africa Command
Horace Campbell look at Bush's visit as an attempt to further militarize the continent and consolidate US holding18 February 2008 - Horace Campbell - Kenya
Understanding the Kenyan Opposition
An analysis of Kenya's leading opposition party, ODM, and the three component elements described as the activist-intellectual left, the Moi-ist retrogressives, and the populists. The author argues that it is as a result of the different agendas of the elements in reference, that ODM has displayed conflicting strategies and consequently why future peace for Kenya may be uncertain depending on which element wins the day. NG11 February 2008 - Mukoma Wa Ngugi - Chad
Helping the injured amid the chaos
Violent clashes between rebels and government troops in N'Djamena have left hundreds injured, many dead and thousands fleeing the capital. Simon Ashmore, the ICRC's deputy head of operations for East Africa, says the ICRC is supporting the Red Cross of Chad as far as possible in tending to the injured and the dead, notably with one surgical team in place and another on the way.6 February 2008 - ICRC - 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. DN23 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
Mission to 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 Environment28 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