I figured getting to Tripoli for another quick research trip would be significantly easier than the time I went to visit the Iraqi archives in late 2003.  This time around, I thought it would be very unlikely that I would

Read the rest of Crossing into Libya – Jason Pack survives border bureaucracy and sustainable development consultants »

There were moments when I thought this was a dream. It could not be real. Maybe I was being lured to Nigeria as part of some 419 scam. I was being asked – sounded out rather – to come to

Read the rest of TRANSFORMING NIGERIA: “Am I dreaming?” – Richard Dowden addresses the Nigerian President and cabinet on Independence Day »

James K. Boyce and Léonce Ndikumana are the authors of Africa’s Odious Debts: How Foreign Loans and Capital Flight Bled a Continent, forthcoming in October in the African Arguments book series published by Zed Books in association with the Royal

Read the rest of AFRICAN DEBT: Funny Money and Stolen Lives – By James K. Boyce and Léonce Ndikumana »

Zimbabwe’s political crisis continues with political parties’ internal divides exposed by Wikileaks revelations, the coalition government at loggerheads on fundamental issues and the prospect of a violent election period in the coming year. Yet with the stabilisation of the currency

Read the rest of Zimbabwe land issue: Voices from the Field– Ian Scoones »

For the past several months, news about food shortages and famines affecting large segments of the East African population have been fuelling donation appeals from major public and private aid organizations. Low rainfall and – in Somalia’s case – recent

Read the rest of Somalia: If you have to starve to death, better to do it in a war-torn country – By Jean-Hervé Bradol »

In traveling across the greater parts of Zimbabwe, one is struck by the ‘life goes on’ way of existence of many of the country’s citizens. From the small rural shopping center (Birchenough Bridge), to the still sleepy  iron ore mining

Read the rest of Zimbabwe’s Inclusive Government’s Disconnect with the People : “Some of us must remain to be with the People” – by Takura Zhangazha »

The Result Shortly after 12 am local time on the 23rd of September 2011, the Electoral Commission of Zambia announced the results of this year’s tri-partite elections on ZNBC, the national broadcaster. In the presidential race, the results given were

Read the rest of Zambia: Cobra becomes King in a telling result – By Jack Hogan »

Ken Menkhaus – a noted academic and advisor on US policy towards Somalia – has called for the international community to invoke the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) in facilitating a ‘diplomatic surge’ to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches communities suffering from

Read the rest of Somalia: Ken Menkhaus calls for ‘a diplomatic surge to stop famine.’ »

At this time of year, tall, green grasses conceal the shallow swamp that stretches out on the far west side of the village of Pinydit leading to the bend in the River Jur as it swerves to avoid Gogrial Town. 

Read the rest of South Sudan: A letter from Warrap State – Riak Machar’s Apology For Peace – By Naomi Pendle »

It may be safer when discussing the impact and consequences of the ‘Arab spring’ in northern Africa to quote Mao Zhe Dong when asked to comment on either Paris 1789 or Paris 1968, ‘too early to say.’ However, the question

Read the rest of Libya: Sub Saharan mercenaries or African freedom fighters and the return of Dr Khalil Ibrahim – By Pieter Tesch »