The recent conflict in sub-Saharan Africa represents a “line in the sand” – the international community’s end-point of tolerance for the attempts of Islamic extremists to create something of a pre-2001 Afghanistan in Western Africa.
Africa
African Region
‘Y’En a Marre’ Maintains Senegal’s Democratic Tradition
Nicholas Bishop on the youth movement that is keeping the tradition of democracy alive in Senegal.
Canada in Africa: Prime Minister Harper in Senegal to Bolster Regional Democracy
Prime Minister Stephen Harper wrapped up a two-day visit to Senegal on October 12, his first trip to Sub-Saharan Africa since attending the 2007 Commonwealth Summit in Uganda.
CIDA Funding Cuts Imperil Crucial Zimbabwe Elections
Recent cuts of $377million to the Canadian International Development Agency’s (CIDA) budget and the decision by the Harper government to suspend aid to Zimbabwe may endanger the transparency of election results.
Canada Expands Investment in Tanzania
Praising Tanzania as a model of progressive governance and an economic growth leader in Africa, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on October 4th that Canada and Tanzania had reached an accord on a bilateral Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) during Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete’s first state visit to Canada. Canada has completed 13 Read More…
Is the Genie out of the bottle? The Environmental Protection lawsuit that may change the world
In a potentially precedent setting court case, four Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth Netherlands [Milieudefensie], an NGO, are suing Royal Dutch Shell, one of the largest multinationals in the world for environmental damage caused by oil spills. Shell, Nigeria’s largest producer of oil has dismissed the claims stating that domestic terrorism in the Read More…
A New Dawn for Somalia?
August 20 marked the end of the mandated term for Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG), leaving all of the hard won political and security advances made over the past three years at stake should the process stall indefinitely.
With an Eye to China, Clinton Touts Democracy on Tour of Africa
U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton travelled to nine Sub-Saharan countries during an 11-day tour of Africa, addressing the United States’ goals to ramp up its commitment to economic, security, and development initiatives in the region.
Mining Massacre Exposes South African Fault Lines
Reminiscent of apartheid-era police brutality, the shootings will only serve to drive a wedge between the governing African National Congress (ANC) and the people, as it becomes increasingly out of touch with the needs of the poor.
South Africa’s Time to Shine: Dlamini-Zuma Elected African Union Chair
On July 15, 2012 a major power shift took place on the African continent. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South African Minister for Home Affairs and formerly foreign minister was elected chairperson of the African Union Commission, beating out incumbent Jean Ping of Gabon and becoming the first female to lead the AU.