Few things in life are certain. The sun will rise, the sun will set, and journalists will look at an African crisis and almost inevitably chalk it up primarily to tribal rivalries — and usually they depict those rivalries as “ancient” (and thus somehow immutable). This lazy shorthand almost always obscures more than it elucidates and helps to […]
There was an apparent coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau over the weekend. This IRIN report shows how the coup attempt “has underscored the country's chronic political volatility.”
Amidst the constant thrum of tumult in Zimbabwe — the criticism from foreign dignitaries locked out of the country, the outbreak of cholera throughout much of the country, a surge in anthrax that has killed both people and livestock, and the general humanitarian crisis caused by mismanagement, malfeasance, and avarice on the party of the […]
With all of the verbiage flowing and the spin doctors in full effect in South African politics today, it is hard to separate what is true from what is self serving, what is accurate from what is accusation. To wit, consider the following questions (with answers that I humbly submit for your consideration): Is South […]
Zimbabwe denied entry into the country this weekend to a group of respected international figures, including former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, former United States President Jimmy Carter, and human rights advocate (and wife of Nelson Mandela) Graca Machel. Called “The Elders,” the group did meet with Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan […]
Is piracy in the Gulf of Aden helping to create the (im?)perfect storm leading to one of Barack Obama's first serious crises upon taking office? It sure seems that way. Shipping firms, which are suffering some of the worst losses at the hands of the Somali brigands, are demanding action. India's navy is stepping up […]
How many international sporting programs would look at a season of nine wins and four losses as a disaster? One such situation is playing out in South Africa, where the Springboks are in England to play the hosts at Twickenham this weekend. From The Mail & Guardian, “The End of a Dismal Year“: A disappointing […]
With the announcement that it plans to lay 2,300 kilometers of fiber-optic cable in the next year, Rwanda has taken the lead in communications technology in Central Africa. Nearly any discussion about Rwanda, whether positive or critical, takes place against the backdrop of the 1994 genocide and the context that created it. This decision marks […]
Time magazine argues in a recent piece on Mugabe that the intransigent president “clings on, but his power is waning.” I have no quarrels with the article, which hits all of the necessary marks in a piece written for a genralist audience that has little background on Zimbabwe (or most any other particular African issue). […]
Ever wonder if anyone could possibly fall for those obnoxious Nigerian email scams? Wonder no more.
Piracy in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali Coast continues apace. The Economist tries to figure out what it all means.
Many observers inside and outside of South Africa worry whether the country will be able to pull off the Fifa World Cup in 2010. South Africa will be fine. There will be occasional stumbles, and the masses descending on South Africa will have to deal with periodic glitches that might frustrate those expecting another Germany, […]
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