Basket 0 Items

View basket | Checkout

10th July 2009

Vol 50 N0 14

Image courtesy of Panos Pictures
Image courtesy of Panos Pictures

View site
AFRICA | UNITED STATES

Barack Obama launches his agenda in Ghana

The African audience hopes that President Obama's declared Africa policy will be both distinctive and practicable

As in so many areas the expectations are that President Barack Obama's Africa policy will be a break with the past. In some respects, the President's ...

AFRICA | UNITED STATES

Washington's Africa team takes shape

After years of marginalisation and under-staffing, the African Affairs bureau of the State Department is beginning to at...

GHANA | UNITED STATES

Obama's akwaaba moment

John Atta Mills welcomes the first African-American US President and his entourage to Ghana amid hopes for US investment...

BLUE LINES

Close

THE INSIDE VIEW

At its 1-3 July summit at Sirte, Libya, the African Union proved as adept at diplomatic double standards as its European counterpart. After a campaign to pressure the junta that seized power from Mauritania’s elected government last August, the AU announced that the time was ripe to lift sanctions in recognition of the military’s attempts to organise their own elections, which many political parties will boycott. Yet the President of the AU Commission, Jean Ping, said the AU was ‘extremely concerned’ about the attempt by Mamadou Tandja to change Niger’s constitution. Another army general in politics, Tandja was at least initially elected. Eritrea faces sanctions for meddling in Somalia but Sudan will not, despite repeated meddling in Chad. The biggest inconsistencies revolve around the AU’s attitude to the International Criminal Court. The AU’s decision to suspend cooperation with the ICC on its warrant for the arrest of Sudan’s President Omer el Beshir for mass murder in Darfur appalled many African human rights activists. Might the AU now also suspend cooperation with the ICC should it indict senior politicians in Kenya, following Kofi Annan’s despatch of an envelope to The Hague listing the names of those said to bear most reponsibility for last year’s political violence? And what about Joseph Kony and Jean-Pierre Bemba? The AU’s vote for selective prosecutions is a step towards the destruction of both the ICC and the hopes for an extension of international justice.

GHANA | UNITED STATES

Ghana's DC dividend

Expectations are high in Accra that its hosting of President Barack Obama will prompt a rush of United States investment and assistance for Ghana and the region. Even sober policy-makers talk about a US-led Marshall Plan to rebuild Africa's infrastructure. However, aid groups in Washington DC say that the Obama administration is under congressional pressure to cut foreign aid, leaving little prospect of substantial new initiatives.

NIGERIA

Half-time for Yar'Adua

After two years of drift, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and his government seem to be trying to arrest the slide. Recent appointments have bolstered the administration's competence. The President began his tenure amid doubts about his candidacy and election. Dithering since then, and shying away from change to protect vested interests, had increased the doubts.

ANGOLA

Sonangol goes international

Undaunted by the collapse of the international oil and gas market, Luanda's state-owned oil company Sonangol is setting its international sights ever higher. On the back of Angola's prodigious hydrocarbon reserves, Sonangol is buying up acreage in Algeria and Iraq, as well as going into partnership with Portuguese construction company Mota-Engil and with China's Beiya International Development to form China Sonangol, which has bought assets in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

RWANDA

The quest for justice after the genocide continues

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was set up by the United Nations Security Council in November 1994 to try those responsible for genocide or other serious offences against international humanitarian law during the terrible events that ended with the victory of the Uganda-based army led by General (and still President) Paul Kagame. Fifteen years on, the ICTR has only partially finished its work.

RWANDA

The missing suspects

Thirteen more genocide suspects are sought by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The United States government's offer of a US$5 million bounty for their arrest has so far helped to bring three suspects before the court, but the trail is growing cold. Here are the thirteen missing suspects.

SOUTH AFRICA

Anglo American seeks fresh capital

Anglo American, the huge mining conglomerate, is no longer strictly a South African company since it moved its headquarters and main stock-market listing to London in 1999. Yet the company's future is still entwined with that of South Africa, where it dominates the mining of gold and other minerals that make the country's fortune. In both the company and the nation, forces are at work which strain the relationship.

SOUTH AFRICA

Anglo American's CEO fights back

Anglo CEO Cynthia Carroll has called for 'a major overhaul' and 'cultural transformation' of senior management. Those managers are striking back, along with members of the board. Her only open supporter is the Chairman, Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, who recruited Carroll and seems to have delayed his retirement to protect her. However, on 10 July, Anglo announced that the National Grid's Sir John Parker would be taking over as Chairman on 1 August.

NIGER

President Tandja goes for a third term

After decades of coups and assassinations, Nigeriens had hoped that President Mamadou Tandja would stabilise the country and peacefully hand over to his successor. Instead, he decided to change the constitution. President Tandja had been due to step down on 22 December after two five-year terms but, after signing a peace deal with Tuareg-led militia groups in the north and a production deal with France's giant Areva uranium company in May, he seems to have secured the discreet backing of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to extend his presidency for another term.

BLUE LINES

THE INSIDE VIEW

At its 1-3 July summit at Sirte, Libya, the African Union proved as adept at diplomatic double standards as its European counterpart. After a campaign to pressure the junta that seized power from Mauritania’s elected government last August, the AU announced that the time was ripe to lift sanctions in recognition of the military’s attempts to organise their own elections, which many political parties will boycott. Yet the President of the AU Commission, Jean Ping, said the AU was ‘extremel...

Read more

NIGER | URANIUM

Competition for Niger's uranium

Niger is the world's third-largest uranium producer, extracting about 3,300 tonnes per year. Prices rose to US$55 per pound in June, up more than 35% since April; nuclear power is back in fashion and competition for supplies is heating up. Uranium exports make up more than 40% of government revenue and the price rises come in time to match President Mamadou Tandja's politico-financial obligations.

Pointers  

MADAGASCAR

Go on, negotiate

While Madagascar's ousted President Marc Ravalomanana stews in South Africa, the youthful transition leader Andry Rajoelina has been in Belgium, vainly trying to persuade the European Union to restore its aid. Talks on 6 July with an EU team headed by Swe...

Most read

  1. Bringing it all back home
  2. The new battle for the Bank
  3. Timber rackets, gas booms
  4. Paying – and fighting – for unity
  5. After Mali, Niger

Issue archive

Search our 14-year online archive

Archive Alternatively, contact us to find out about access to more than 50 years of the world's best fortnightly newsletter on African politics.

Looking for a specific issue of Africa Confidential?

out now!

Visit africa-asia-confidential.com to see extracts from the latest edition.

Africa-Asia relations are a significant feature of the new global economy. Don't miss out on our superb coverage – get Africa-Asia Confidential!

Click here to download a sample copy of Africa-Asia Confidential now.

FREE EMAIL ALERTS

Patrick Smith Not yet ready to subscribe to Africa Confidential's complete information service? Then why not register for our free email alerts.

 Every two weeks you get a concise snapshot of the latest issue - courtesy of our editor, Patrick Smith - so you're made aware of which issues we cover each fortnight.

Sign up right away and you also get a free copy of 'The Editor's Choice' – 66 pages of some of the very best previous Africa Confidential articles.

'The Editor's Choice' is in PDF format. So you can download it in an instant – just as soon as you have registered with us.

Payment cards