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Published 18th July 1997

Vol 38 No 15


Sudan

Great Satan joins the fray

As Sudan's conflict threatens to spread, Washington policy- makers are contemplating the fall of the National Islamic Front

Sudan is moving up Washington's agenda. After years of US ambiguity, those urging a tough line against Khartoum have won the argument over those favouring 'constructive engagement'. This is because, firstly, Sudan's war has intensified and could spread to Eritrea and Ethiopia, which are key to US strategy for the Horn of Africa and Red Sea; and secondly, policy makers are far more worried about Islamist terrorist groups and have better information about Khartoum's links to them.


Dialogue in dollars

Image courtesy of Panos Pictures

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Conspicuous among those lobbying for dialogue with the National Islamic Front is US-born Mansoor Ijaz, the Pakistani-descended founding Chairman of Crescent Investment Management, ...


Après le déluge – quoi?

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Paris wants to recoup its losses – diplomatic and commercial – after a series of disasters

The triumph of the Parti Socialiste in Gaullist President Jacques Chirac's misjudged snap elections in May-June and the palpable failure of French strategy in Central Africa have p...


More pay, less graft

Another spate of strikes points to corruption and economic mismanagement

Zimbabweans have plenty to be discontented about. Strikes have brought workers onto the streets from banks, hotels, municipalities and the transport, clothing, textile, cement, rai...


Heading south

Chief Buthelezi is making common cause with the ANC's Modise to keep out illegals

Deputy President Thabo Mbeki speaks animatedly of an 'African Renaissance' – an updated version of Kwame Nkrumah's Pan-Africanism but with South Africa rather than Ghana stee...


Putschists v. putschists

Under growing military pressure, Koroma still hopes to stop Kabbah's restoration

Almost two months after seizing power (AC Vol 38 No 12), Major Johnny Paul Koroma's regime is consolidating and digging in for a lengthy military confrontation with Nigerian-led fo...



Pointers

Deaths foretold

Perhaps it's just a bizarre coincidence but some Cameroonians have noticed that personalities close to the President have died just before multiparty elections. In 1992, the dead i...


Aid argument

The shooting by police of a teachers' leader has led to the suspension of Britain's aid programme. Ethiopia requested the move after Whitehall insisted on a public enquiry into the...


Genocide denial

Africa Direct, a London-based organisation campaigning against the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda (AC Vol 38 No 12), is holding a conference entitled 'Rwa...


Good news

The country remains a favoured African democracy – but only after international protests and a dignified climb-down by government. With elections due in 1999, the government ...