It seems that much of the world is lining up to support the Springboks, or at least to oppose what many, including yours truly, believe to be a somewhat unsightly form of rugby emanating from England. Naturally South Africa has its share of high-profile South African boosters, including Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. Perhaps somewhat […]
The Council on Foreign Relations has a fantastic interactive map of Africa's conflict zones and areas of UN/African Union intervention past and presence, as well as an option to see the contours of former colonial rule and influence. This is a first-rate resource for those who want to understand Africa's divisions, particularly for students.
South Africa is gearing up for this weekend's clash between the Springboks and the rejuvenated defending World Champions from England in the finals of the rugby World Cup. South Africa should be the heavy favorites, though Springbok coach Jake White, taking a page from the playbook of coaches the world over, insists his team must be […]
Is Thabo Mbeki revealing signs of creeping authoritarianism? Newsweek International fears as much. It is most alarming that Mbeki is showing his Machiavellian side (it certainly is not new; it might now be more brazen, however) as his tenure as President and party head comes to an end and while the whispers that he might consider […]
Let the Games Begin! Actually, the machinations over the African National Congress succession have been under way for quite some time and will continue to be the source of political infighting, manipulation, and polarization well into next year. The latest volleys have come from KwaZulu-Natal, where the Thabo Mbeki wing of the party has put forward a […]
At The Boston Globe Michael Gerson has a column on AIDS in the developing world, focuding on Africa. Embracing neither foolish optimism nor outsized pessimism Gerson argues that a cobination of approaches will be required to stanch a disease that is still spreading at a faster rate than it can be prevented: Treatment and prevention, […]
After a crazy weekend of upsets in the Rugby World Cup in which England defeated Australia 12-10 and France, riding a wave of host's emotion stunned the All Blacks 20-18 the Boks find themselves as tournament favorites. South Africa earned their trip to the semis by defeating a game Fiji squad 37-20, which, though the widest […]
South Africa's policy of “silent diplomacy” with regard to Zim has been endlessly frustrating for many of us who feel that Thabo Mbeki needs to be more assertive publicly with regard to Robert Mugabe. It would be one thing if Mbeki adhered to the old Teddy Roosevelt approach of speaking softly but carrying a big stick, […]
It looks like British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has failed in his campaign to prevent Robert Mugabe from being invited to December's summit of European and African leaders in Portugal. Further, Brown is meeting with resistance to his proposal that the European union send an envoy to deal with the Zimbabwe crisis. Those African leaders who continue […]
Some states confront economic calamities. Some confront political tyranny. And in some cases the latter fuels the former. Such is the case in Zimbabwe where Robert Mugabe's dictatorship quite clearly has exacerbated the country's dire economic straits. The country's citizens are facing acute hunger that stems from the country virtually running out of bread because […]
Africom is now up and running. I still am ambivalent about the US African Command in theory and especially in practice. The idea seems ok — it gives America a presence on a continent it has so long overlooked, ignored, or mismanaged. And maybe there is the chance that the US presence will augment AU […]
Two articles in The Mail & Guardian reveal a common trait among nation states and other political entities: A fundamental aversion to outside interference. During the American Civil Rights Movement white Southerners oftentimes claimed that their states were beset with outside agitators, alien forces who were there to cause trouble and then would leave without having to […]
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