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September 18, 2008 | A Deal for Zimbabwe, but Not Ideal

The new political agreement in Zimbabwe is a boon to President Robert Mugabe; he will retain the presidency, command the armed forces, and head the cabinet. ++ His opponent – and victor in the March elections – Morgan Tsvangirai, …More

September 17, 2008 | Zimbabwe's Agreement Signals Economic Work Ahead

The signing of the power-sharing agreement marks the start of a new era in Zimbabwe. ++ The nation can finally start reconstruction. ++ The agreement is “an affirmation of the supremacy of African solutions to African …More

September 4, 2008 | Aid to Africa: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Many countries in Africa suffer from a stifling dependence on foreign aid and actually receive more money in aid than they do collecting taxes. ++ This imbalance is detrimental to the citizens as the government is more concerned with the …More

August 1, 2008 | Is International Justice the Enemy of Peace?

The key reproach that critics raise against international courts is that “in their effort to do justice, they are obstructing achievement of a more important goal, peace. ” ++ These complaints are expressed especially when heads of …More

July 31, 2008 | Bashir's Prosecution Will Not Ruin the Chances for Peace in Darfur

Ariela Blätter: Many fear that the International Criminal Court’s charges against the Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir will have “disastrous consequences” for the peace process in Darfur. This, however, could only be true if there was evidence of a real and substantive peace process in the first place. …More

July 23, 2008 | We Are Failing Zimbabwe

Mugabe’s bloody rule will continue for another term unless Russia, China, and South Africa help impose tougher sanctions and an arms embargo on Zimbabwe. ++ Moscow and Beijing’s vetoes against tougher measures in the Security Coucil are to blame …More

July 21, 2008 | The EU's Africa Policy After the Lisbon Summit

Marco Overhaus: The second EU-Africa summit in 2007 in Lisbon endorsed a “Strategic Partnership.” This perspective challenges both actors: the EU to pursue a coherent policy and Africa to develop long-term self-interests and institutions to implement them. …More

July 16, 2008 | Meaningless Indictment of the Sudanese President

The International Criminal Court’s resolution to seek an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omar Bashir was hailed as a step towards stopping the bloodshed in Darfur. ++ In fact, this decision will not change anything and is …More

July 16, 2008 | Somali Peace Requires Constructive International Engagement

Abukar Arman: Lasting peace in Somalia requires a holistic approach and constructive engagement on behalf of the international community. The peace accord needs to be adapted to recognize that the precondition “cessation of violence” cannot be fulfilled before Ethiopian occupation troops have left. …More

July 9, 2008 | Financial Aid is Not the Answer to Africa's Problems

Financial aid will not solve the problem of food security in Africa. ++ Western succor is the main source of revenue for corrupt sub-Saharan African governments. ++ An effective way to help the Africans is to remove the trade …More

July 7, 2008 | Zimbabwe is Afloat Because of China

The annual inflation rate in Zimbabwe has reached 9 million percent. ++ The only reason why the country is still afloat are huge Chinese investments. ++ Zimbabwean critics contend that Beijing will continue to support Harare unconditionally, …More

July 3, 2008 | "Sanctions Are a Coward's War"

Since the first use of sanctions against Italy in 1935, suspending trade with corrupt regimes has proven to make the poor poorer and the evil richer. ++ Even with supposed success, sanctions were either accompanied by other internal problems …More

July 3, 2008 | The Rise of Private Equity in Africa

Though Africa still accounts for only a fraction of the global private equity market, the spread of stable democracy and rapid economic evolution make it increasingly attractive for US and European investors. ++ Private capital flow into …More

June 27, 2008 | Zimbabwe's Opposition Had No Choice

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader was right to withdraw from the runoff presidential “election”. ++ Thousands of his supporters have been kidnapped and tortured, thousands more would probably have suffered, and it would all have been for …More

June 25, 2008 | Zimbabwe is Not Just Another African Tragedy

Something can still be done to save the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe. ++ For this, the US, the UK, and the EU need to cut Mugabe’s access to foreign financial goods and services, and the African Union and Zimbabwe’s …More

June 17, 2008 | Sudan Flouts its International Obligations

If the international community remains inactive regarding Sudan, its outrage could end up being regarded as hollow. ++ With the help of the International Criminal Court, France, Britain, and the US should pursue a strategy for concomitant …More

June 2, 2008 | An African Future for the Private Military

While the private military industry has benefited enormously from contracting opportunities in Iraq, these opportunities will at some point draw to a close and the industry will need new contracts. ++ Firms will likely return to Africa …More

May 16, 2008 | The Return of the Rwanda conflict

Brought up by their fathers - the men responsible for the mass killings back in Rwanda - or by extremist Hutu rebels, the second generation of Hutu child soldiers has grown up.++ They are imbued with the same mind-altering ideology of …More

May 16, 2008 | UN Intervention in Darfur is Imperative

Next month the US will assume the presidency of the UN Security Council. ++ In hopes of preserving its currently vulnerable legacy as an architect of peace, the US plans to move forward in deploying peacekeeping troops to the Darfur region. …More

May 8, 2008 | Freedom and Democracy No Longer on the March

With high oil prices allowing authoritarian regimes to consolidate power, and US influence and moral authority in decline, the global trend towards democratization appears to be reversing. ++ This is particularly apparent in Zimbabwe, …More

May 7, 2008 | Pan-Africanism is the Voice of African Sovereignty

African leaders are less reluctant to grant China access to their markets and resources because its aid is not conditional on good governance, democracy, or human rights. ++ The West and the UN’s attempts to tackle conflict, …More

April 25, 2008 | UN Calls for Mobilization Against a "Relentless Killer"

Means to end malaria – a preventable and treatable disease – are today’s focus for the international community on the first ever World Malaria Day. ++ Malaria kills over a million people a year, costs …More

April 14, 2008 | Africa's Fragile Triumph Over Global Financial Turmoil

The rise of American philanthropy and foreign investment, as well as the need for raw materials are protecting Africa’s frontier economies from international economic volatility. ++ Yet a slowdown in the US and EU could lead …More

March 7, 2008 | The Ravages of World Bank Aid in Kenya

World Bank lending to Kenya has more than doubled since 2005, yet ever more funds seem to be diverted from the activities’ objectives. ++ The Bank and its country director in Nairobi are contributing to a culture of corruption of which …More

February 14, 2008 | Time to Renew EU Trade Agreements with Africa

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states have enjoyed a privileged access to the European market and benefited from Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the EU since the 1960s. However, these trade agreements have …More

December 19, 2007 | EU-Africa Summit is a Failure

At the recent EU-Africa two day summit in Lisbon, the EU not only failed in securing formal trade agreements with Africa but also in combating China’s growing influence in Africa according to Andrew Grice of the Independent.

Only 15 of the 76 …More

December 14, 2007 | EU-Africa Summit: Trade Disagreements Hinder Better Partnership

Ana Santana: The EU’s positive spin on the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership signed at the Lisbon summit should not disguise the fallout over the trade disagreements. …More

December 12, 2007 | The US Trails Behind on Humanitarian Aid

A new rating of 22 developed countries (and the EC) puts the United States at 16th on Humanitarian Aid. The new Humanitarian Response Index (HRI), carried out by a Spain-based NGO called DARA, focuses less on total funding and more on how …More

August 14, 2007 | How US Investors Could Stop The Darfur Genocide

Mia Farrow and Jody Williams provide possible explanations in Opinion Journal for the ongoing violence in Darfur. According to Ms. Farrow and Ms. Williams, one of the primary reasons is the investment of US-based investment funds …More

August 6, 2007 | Amnesty Prevents Darfur Violence When Governments Can't

Ariela Blätter: I chide the transatlantic partners for their continuing failure to stop the attacks in Sudan. The Eyes On Darfur initiative uses commercial innovation to achieve what governments have not, preventing further bloodshed by broadcasting satellite images of the most vulnerable areas. …More

July 26, 2007 | The Economist: Progress Towards UN Millennium Development Goals Varies Widely

The UN has declared July 2007 the halfway point towards its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), agreed upon in 2000 and scheduled to be achieved in 2015. The Economist magazine takes a close look at …More

July 6, 2007 | Connors and Blumenthal Report on How Solar Flashlights Light the Way in Africa

Mark Bent, a former foreign service officer and Texas oilman, joined forces with international organisations, NGOs and corporate benefactors to develop and distribute over 30,000 solar-powered …More

July 4, 2007 | Are They For Real? - Chinese Troop Deployment to Darfur

Edward Cody of the Washington Post comments on Chinese plans to deploy military engineering troops in Darfur. As part of the UN peacekeeping mission, this is mainly seen as a measure of goodwill towards the EU and USA, where …More

June 20, 2007 | Where Our Interests Lie: Vying for West Africa's Oil

International disputes over West African oil — which represents about 10% of the world’s reserves — have been intensified by its easy accessibility, reports Stephanie Hanson of the Council of Foreign Relations. …More

June 20, 2007 | Portugal Plans Africa Focus During EU Presidency

Ana Gomes: I detail the Portuguese agenda for EU external relations over the next six months. While the Constitution will be an obvious priority, the flagship event for the presidency will be the EU-Africa Summit in December 2007. Portugal wants to strengthen the transatlantic alliance and organize the inaugural EU summit with Brazil. Renewed emphasis on the Euromed process and European Neighbourhood Policy is also planned. …More

June 18, 2007 | CFR Debates US Policy Options in Post-Conflict Somalia

In May 2007, the Council of Foreign Relations featured an online debate on America’s role in Somalia. The discussion was lead by moderators Terrence Lyons, associate professor at the Institute for conflict Analysis and …More

June 8, 2007 | Africom - A New Era in America's Africa Policy

By autumn 2007, US Africa Command (Africom) headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany should be ready for initial operations, reports the International Herald Tribune. Africom is an administrative body that will coordinate US peacekeeping …More

May 22, 2007 | Congo: Grassroots Groups Are Key Partners

Guenther von Billerbeck: I advise that civil society organizations, and not just the new DRC government, may be the best partners to bring stability and peace to the Congo. The international community, particularly the UN, EU, and bilateral partners of the Congolese government, should partner with non-governmental actors to turn the country toward sustainable democracy and prosperity. …More

May 18, 2007 | ISN Looks At Nigeria After the Elections

Although elections for the Senate and the President were held in April, Nigeria’s (democratic) future remains uncertain, writes Dulue Mbachu of ISN Security Watch. According to the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), the first vote was …More

May 15, 2007 | Drima of Sudan: No UN Troops in Darfur Without Consensus

In this letter Drima, a young blogger, voices concern about the calls for immediate UN intervention in Darfur by The Save Darfur Coaltition, 2007 . Although Drima, an Afro-Arab …More

May 3, 2007 | Darfur: Conflict History and Options for Resolution

Maximilian Müngersdorff: The Darfur conflict continues to pose enormous challenges for the international community. …More

May 3, 2007 | Darfur: Germans Should Get Involved

Daniel Fallenstein: Germans should learn from the strong American reaction to the Sudan genocide. The black-and-white US worldview is the only one that matters in such a clear-cut case of good vs. evil. …More

April 25, 2007 | Andrew C. Revkin on the "loser-regions" of Climate Change

The world’s richest countries and greatest contributors to global warming are investing billions of dollars to limit the worst consequences, reports journalist Andrew C. Revkin. These same countries are spending …More

April 20, 2007 | Daniel Allot on Western Impotence in Darfur

Efforts to solve the Darfur conflict continually follow the same fruitless pattern, writes Daniel Allot of The Weekly Standard:

1. The West pressures the Sudanese government to stop violations, while threatening sanctions.
2. Sudanese …More

April 2, 2007 | Crisis Group Calls For Continued Engagement After Congo Elections

After the first democratic elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in forty years, International Crisis Group writes that it is now up to President Kabila and the international community to lead …More