Zimbabwe/Tunisia: Gazza's Call to Arms
Veteran Dynamos midfielder Desmond Maringwa has rallied the Harare giants to invoke the spirit of 2008 and turn on the style against Esperance in a Champions League clash against the Tunisians in Tunis tomorrow.

North Africa: African Union Condemns Killing of French Aid Worker
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr. Jean Ping, condemned the assassination, after many long months in captivity, of a French hostage and reaffirmed his concern over the resurgence of the scourge of terrorism in the Sahel-Saharan region.

East Africa: As We Applaud Djibouti, Guinea, We Ask for More
Two other countries, Djibouti and Guinea have pledged to send troops to Mogadishu, thereby increasing the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops' numbers from 6,100 contributed by Uganda and Burundi to 8,100 fighters.

Uganda: Pay Sh2.6 Billion for Youth Meet, Gadaffi Told
The gender ministry has asked Libyan president Muammar Gadaffi to clear a debt of sh2.6b for the Afro Arab Youth conference held in Kampala in 2008.

North Africa: Al-Qaeda 'Kills' French Hostage
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is calling for a crisis meeting after al-Qaeda in North Africa said it had killed a 78-year-old French hostage, in an audio statement broadcast by Al Jazeera.

Gambia: Local Team Back From Morocco Games
The Gambian delegation to the inaugural edition of African Youth Games, dubbed 'Rabat 2010' arrived in Banjul last Wednesday from Rabat, Morroco, were the Games were held.

North Africa: Sarkozy Vows Retaliation for French Hostage Killing
French President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged on Monday to avenge the death of Frenchman Michel Germaneau, who was abducted, held and executed by an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Mali.

Africa: Gaddafi Slaps Aide as He is Led to Wrong Meeting Room at Summit
Libyan leader, Muammar Gadaffi, yesterday caused a scene at the African Heads of State Summit in Speke Resort, Munyonyo near Kampala when he slapped one of his aides for taking him to a wrong venue of the meeting.

Namibia: Egyptian Envoy Praises Country
The outgoing Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt on Friday praised the Namibian people for their support for the Palestinian cause.

Nigeria: Minister Condoles Bauchi Emirate Over Death of Emir
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed has commiserated with the people of Bauchi Emirate, the entire people of Bauchi State and in particular, the family of the late Emir of Bauchi, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Suleiman Adamu, whose death occurred on Friday, 23rd July, 2010 in an Egyptian hospital.

Nigeria: Muslim Group Writes Adoke Over Yarima's Marriage
Muslim Action Committee Centre of Nigeria (MAC) has petitioned the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) over what it called "orchestrated campaign" against Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima's marriage to an Egyptian wife.

Uganda: MPs Want Libyan Leader to Pay Shs2.6 Billion
Members on the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee want the Libyan Leader to fulfil his promise to pay about Shs2.6 billion used in feeding and accommodating Afro-Arab youth conference delegates in Kampala in 2008. Col. Muammar Gadaffi is currently attending the 15th AU Summit in Kampala.

Egypt: Country's authorities must ensure witness protection in police brutality trial
The Egyptian authorities must ensure witnesses called in the trial of two police officers accused over the beating to death of a man outside an Alexandria internet café are protected against possible reprisals, Amnesty International said today.

Uganda/Egypt: Hippos Cry Foul Over Egypt Loss
The Uganda U-20 national soccer team went down 2-0 to Egypt crying foul as their consolation goal in Cairo was disallowed over the weekend.

Rwanda: Egyptian Community Celebrates 58th Anniversary
EGYPTIAN citizens in Rwanda were on Friday joined at their embassy by government officials and members of the diplomatic community in Kigali to celebrate the 58th Egyptian Revolution Day.

Uganda/Egypt: U-20 Officials Are Giving Lame Excuses
Uganda faces an unenviable task of beating mighty Egypt 3-0 if the Hippos are to advance in the CAF U-20 Championships.

Africa: Youth Sparkle Signals a Bright Future
After bomb blasts that left close to 80 dead and several injured our youths finally brought some joy to the country. Uganda won two golds, four silvers and five bronze medals at two major international meets.

Angola: President Dos Santos Discuss Bilateral Relations With Algerian Counterpart
Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos discussed Sunday in Kampala (Uganda) with his algerian counterpart, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the relations between the two countries in various domains.

Egypt: Statement by Secretary Clinton on Country's National Day
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the Egyptian people as you mark your National Day on July 23. This is an opportunity to celebrate Egypt's rich history and culture and to reaffirm the bonds of friendship that have united our two countries for many years. I have been privileged to experience first-hand the warmth and generosity of the Egyptian people and the beauty of your ancient nation.

Egypt/Uganda: Anyau Unmoved By Egypt Crowd
FLAMBOYANT U-20 national soccer coach Frank 'Video' Anyau is optimistic his boys will tame Egypt when they clash in the first round first leg Africa Youth Championship in Cairo on Sunday.

Zambia: Egyptian Revolution Was Insiprational - Kaingu
GOVERNMENT has said the Egyptian revolution is a significant event in history because it inspired Africans to rid themselves of the colonial rule and march to freedom.

Tunisia: Prime Minister Receives Moroccan Ambassador in Tunis
Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi received on Thursday Morocco's ambassador in Tunis, Mr. Néjib Zerouali Ouarithi.

Tunisia: President Ben Ali Congratulates President Mubarak On Egypt's National Day
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali sent a message to congratulate Egyptian president Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, on his country's National Day.

Tunisia: More Than 1, 000 Companies Launched Financial Restructuring and Upgrading Program
More than 1,000 Tunisian industrial companies employing a total workforce of 177,000 people have launched their financial restructuring and upgrading at a cost of 1600 million dinars, announced on Tuesday, Mr. Afif Chelbi, Minister of Industry and Technology.

Tunisia: Hot Weather Spell Will Last Until Friday
Following a spell of warm weather, the Tunisian Weather authority has announced that as of Wednesday evening temperatures will rise in many regions of the country to over 40 degrees Celsius accompanied by Sirocco winds.

Tunisia: Busy Internatonal Schedule for Swimmers This Summer
Following their gold medal harvest during the African Youth games recently hold in Rabat, 4 young Tunisian swimmers (Fadi Hannachi, Wassim Elloumi, Nessrine Khélifati et Zeyneb Khalfallah) will represent Tunisia in the Youth Olympic Games due to be held in Singapore, from August 14 to 26, 2010.

Tunisia: Foreign Minister Receives Chairman of UN General Assembly
Relations between the United Nations Organization (UNO) and Tunisia and the current international issues were the focus of Foreign Minister Kamel Morjane's meeting, on Tuesday in Tunis, with Dr. Ali Abdessalam Triki, President of UN General Assembly's current session.

Uganda: Egypt Denies Reports of River Nile Crisis
EGYPT has dismissed reports of a crisis between Nile Basin countries over the sharing of River Nile.

Africa: South Africa Recommits Support to Egypt's Peace Efforts
The South African government has recommitted its support to Egypt's diplomatic effort to find a lasting and peaceful solution to the political situation in Sudan and the Middle East.

Cameroon/Egypt: U-23 Lions Brace-Up for Friendly Tournament in Egypt
They are currently fine tuning preparations in a second training camp in Yaounde.

AllAfrica News: North Africa
All Africa, All the Time.

 

Update on the Climate Investment Funds
As pilot countries are selected and funding allocated, concern mounts over poor consultation, the weakness of some country proposals, and failure to address governance issues.

Social insecurity
This paper aims to raise awareness of private financial institutions' influence on healthcare and pensions in developing countries.

The IMF's policy advisory role to the G20
The G20 has turned to the IMF to operate as a research and advisory body on their behalf since those governments’ leaders first met in November 2008. The IMF’s work in this area has mainly fallen in three areas: technical advice, surveillance, and research.

Human rights (the World Bank way)
Most of the world's governments have ratified at least one human rights treaty or convention. Kirk Herbertson, Kim Thompson and Robert Goodland of the World Resources Institute ask why the World Bank Group - which is owned by these same governments - is hesitant to discuss human rights openly.

Is IFC palm oil investment a foregone conclusion?
The World Bank is currently undertaking a major review of its controversial engagement in palm oil production, but critics warn that consultation has been inadequate and that the Bank seems to have already decided to continue investment in the sector.

World Bank performance standards review reveals need to raise the bar
With a review of the social and environmental performance standards of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) underway, reports from within the World Bank Group as well as civil society highlight the need for reform.

World Bank clings to fossil fuels, stumbles on clean energy
The World Bank's energy lending suggests that it remains wedded to fossil fuels, as independent evaluators and civil society groups raise serious concerns about its approach to energy efficiency and renewables.

The Greek crisis and the involvement of the IMF
The “Greek expression” of the crisis has revealed an amazingly broad range of issues not only concerning the structural problems of the Greek economy, but also those of the European Union (EU) as an economic and currency area, and its unwillingness or inability to react to the problem in a timely, meaningful and collective way.

Debt crisis in Europe: Beware IMF bearing gifts
The descent of Greece into a sovereign debt crisis marks the first time a country that uses the euro has gone to the IMF. The fear of adverse market reaction has now moved Europe towards greater coordination and the G20 to argue against continued fiscal stimulus.

IMF's latest prescription: Cure the crisis with austerity
The IMF has gone back to promoting fiscal austerity and pressuring governments to implement spending cuts and structural reforms. Austerity also remains at the heart of the Fund's debt sustainability policies.

IMF bank tax proposals cause controversy
A leaked copy of the IMF's report to the G20 on A fair and substantial contribution by the financial sector which proposes two new financial sector taxes to cover some of the costs of the financial and economic crisis, has been criticised by campaigners for inadequate analysis of the potential of the financial transactions tax (FTT), dubbed the Robin Hood tax.

IFI governance reform freezing over?
An in-depth analysis of the latest round of World Bank reforms shows they delivered significantly less than proclaimed, while IMF governance reforms, slated to conclude in January 2011, are proceeding slowly and promising only minor changes.

Resistance to Bank's role in climate finance as alternatives gain traction
As talks aim toward an agreement on climate finance in December in Cancun, fault lines remain about the role of the World Bank. Contradictions in recent Bank lending and contributions to alternative financing mechanisms have fuelled ongoing debates about the Bank’s role.

World Bank work on land supports "a new form of colonialism"
A set of voluntary principles for agricultural investment in developing countries, launched by the World Bank and other institutions in April, veils the promotion of investors' interests at the expense of host populations, warn civil society groups.

IMF board shies away from bold mandate changes
In a series of four papers the IMF executive board has been discussing fundamental changes to the way it does business. Despite the financial, economic and debt crises demonstrating the failures in the current international architecture, there was no consensus on the need for, or direction of, reform.

Bretton Woods Project highlights
Critical voices on the World Bank and IMF

 

Monty Pythons show solidarity with Sahara refugees
Michael Palin and Terry Jones were among the celebrities attending a private view of a photographs from the Western Sahara refugee camps in London on Wednesday. The pair of Pythons joined other actors including Neighbours star Nicola Quilter at the event which showed images of refugees from one of the world's longest and most forgotten conflicts.

Racism towards Blacks in Morocco and Maghreb, a taboo topic
In Morocco and the rest of the Maghreb, there is a serious problem of racism towards Blacks. Called “Black Moroccans” or “Black Africans,” they are nonetheless considered descendants of slaves. Labeled “hartani”—literally, “second-rate free men”—or even worse, “aâzi”—which translates to “bloody Negro”—Blacks in Morocco, be they students, migrants, from the South of the Sahara or others, are victims of discrimination on a daily basis by the people of the northern African kingdom.

Gaddafi continues push for United States of Africa
Amidst the issues of the African Union offensive in Somalia and an international arrest warrant for Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir at the just ended African Union summit in Kampala, Uganda, Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi found time to push for a United States of Africa.

Morocco: Almajadid.com - A 100% social networking site for Moroccans
Almajadid.com is the first social network entirely dedicated to Moroccans. The idea to create the site was born out of the realization that other international social networking sites are not tailored to fit Moroccan demands, according to its founder, Mohamed El Yacoubi. Interview.

Algeria's Timgad Roman ruins: A "Numidian Pompeii"
The Timgad archaeological site spreads its sumptuous ruins across the heart of the Aurès mountains. Listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the ancient Roman city built in the second century AD has become a rendezvous point for history enthusiasts.

Football: Who is Africa's best Goalkeeper?
Who is the best among equals? The glorious times of the Songo'os, Zakis and Rufais are over. The elders have successfully handed the mantle over to a new and energetic generation of goalies drenched in talent. But who is the best among them? Kameni, M'Bolhi, Enyeama, Kingson, Barry, El Hadary...?

Egypt: Ready for equal rights regardless of religion?
Egyptians are tired of the problems that have persisted for decades: the corruption and bribery that paralyse the nation's law enforcement and legal system; the perpetual poverty that 20 per cent of the population suffers from; the nearly constant 10 per cent rate of unemployment; and a flawed educational system that has resulted in 27 per cent illiteracy.

Egypt: Mubarak's "terminal" cancer sparks fears
An insistent rumour over President Hosni Mubarak's health has been assessed by Western intelligence sources. Israel and its American ally may be losing sleep over the threat of a Muslim Brotherhood rise in case the 82 year old Egyptian President dies prematurely.

7/7 Bombings showed we do not know our enemy
For most Britons 7th July 2005 will be remembered as the day that al Qaeda terrorists attacked London. But five years on, no link has been established between the 7/7 bombers and al Qaeda. Whilst its possible that two of the bombers, Shehzad Tanweer and Mohammad Sidique Khan, may have visited training camps in Pakistan and met with al Qaeda operatives there is no evidence of this. This week a report from the Centre for Social Cohesion analysing Islamist terrorist offences in Britain over the last decade finds that only 14.5 per cent of terrorism offenders had links with al-Qaeda. And yet despite this a belief persists that most Islamic jihadist attacks, including the 7/7 bombings, are somehow masterminded by al Qaeda.

Libyan-Gaza-Israel Amalthea aid ship standoff as it happened
Amalthea, a vessel chartered by the Libyan Gaddafi Foundation to deliver food and medicine to the Palestinian people who have been under Israeli naval blockade since 2007, Thursday began unloading its cargo in the Egyptian port of Al-Arish. Originally scheduled to sail to Gaza, Amalthea made a last minute about-turn for Egypt. Disappointed, the pro-Palestinian activists who boarded Amalthea — six Libyans, an Algerian, a Moroccan and a Nigerian — have refused to support the delivery of aid to Gaza by land. Discover Amalthea's stormy saga.

Morocco : The Gerets controversy reaches fever pitch
Success has a price. One that most Moroccans couldn't afford as they stress Eric Gerets' exaggerated salary : according to the local press, the Belgian, who will take over the Lions of the Atlas, will earn more than all of the country's governement.

MobiCash: A new money transfer service for Moroccans
"MobiCash" a new feature in international money transfer for Moroccans living abroad has been put in place by Maroc Telecom since the beginning of July. Moroccans can now send money via their mobile phones by SMS or Internet in the comfort of their homes.

Libya pledges strong ties with Sudan as border closes
Sudan's decision to close its borders with Libya took effect on Thursday. Khartoum is seeking the expulsion of rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim, who heads the Movement for Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the largest armed group in Darfur. Western Sudan has been gripped by civil war since 2003.

Middle East and North Africa open for telecom business
France Telecom have recently announced its plans to acquire five telecom deals in North Africa and the Middle East and are hoping to complete some of these by the end of the summer. This revelation has led to the meeting of the leading names in telecoms at the Next Generation Telecoms MENA summit.

Moroccan economy to be "regionalized"
King Mohammed VI decided in January to accelerate Morocco's "regionalization" process to revamp the Northern African country's 16 regions, which date back to 1971, by setting up a commission to review an advanced regional system. After acquiring the status of local authorities with both social and cultural dimensions in 1992, Morocco wants to orient its regions towards economic development.

North Africa - Afrik.com : Africa and Maghreb's news - The panafrican daily newspaper
Afrik.com, Africa's portal offers a daily online newspaper with information on what is going on in the world, culture, economics, sport, societies of 56 african countries.

 

Preventing Maternal Deaths in West Africa
Dr. Fredanna M'Cormack and her Bele Uman Project are working in Sierra Leone to save the lives of pregnant mothers and their babies.

Interview with Kumi Naidoo
The Greenpeace executive director talks about connections between the environment, poverty, peace, and how the interconnectedness of these issues can drive civil society.

World Cup Crime in South Africa
While South Africa boasts understandable pride and excitement to be hosting the World Cup, its citizens are fearful. An already disordered country will see crime escalate substantially when the crowds arrive.

Conflict Minerals: the New Blood Diamonds
Hundreds of millions of dollars flow into resource-rich areas such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, but that money goes to corrupt rebel forces who abuse and exploit their own people.

Blood Diamonds: Still Bloody
After its civil war, Sierra Leone was able to get the brutality of its diamond trade under control. The rest of Africa, for the most part, has not shared its success.

Somalia's Last Chance
The state of affairs in Somalia, though still volatile and deeply troubled, is showing signs of improved political inclusion, and the country could benefit from more engaged foreign involvement.

Re: Blood Diamonds: Still Bloody
We are seeing a steadily growing tide of discontent with the Kimberley Process.

Re: Conflict Minerals: the New Blood Diamonds
I believe that the senators dont know the real issues on the ground and their well-intended legislation will be useless without knowledge of the actual situation.

Re: Blood Diamonds: Still Bloody
Zimbabwean diamonds mined with complete disregard for basic human rights are currently being sold in jewelry stores with

Re: Public Schools in Sierra Leone Gasping for Life Support
Despite war, we are doing our best to cope.

Re: Public Schools in Sierra Leone Gasping for Life Support
Our children are taught right from wrong when growing up.

Public Schools in Sierra Leone Gasping for Life Support
Sierra Leone has diverse tribal and cutural practices that works against the education of the nation's children.

The Rocky Road to Independence for Southern Sudan
The efficacy of Sudan's elections will be an indicator of the country's future, which will prove especially important for the ravaged, disadvantaged south.

African News from World Press Review
World News Review

 

Four fined over SA 'racist video'
Four white South Africans are fined $2,700 (£1,700) each after making a video humiliating black university workers.

Saudi warned on expelling Somalis
The UN refugee agency urges Saudi Arabia to stop deporting Somalis, saying 2,000 have recently been sent to Mogadishu.

Mugabe mourns after sister dies
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is in mourning after his younger sister, Sabina, died, aged 76.

DR Congo boat sinking 'kills 140'
About 140 people are feared dead as a boat capsizes on a river in the western Bandundu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bashir's party doubts Sudan vote
President Bashir's NCP says the referendum on south Sudan's secession cannot happen until the internal border is decided.

Zimbabwe football chief suspended
The Zimbabwe Football Association suspends chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya over match-fixing allegations.

Moi told to respect Kenya leader
Ex-President Moi is told to respect his successor Mwai Kibaki, as campaigning heats up ahead of next week's referendum.

China agrees Guinea mining deal
Mining giant Rio Tinto completes a deal with Chinese firm Chalco to enter a joint venture in West Africa.

Nigeria brings stock market cases
Financial regulators in Nigeria are to bring charges against a list of people they accuse of illegally manipulating the stock market.

South African union strike threat
Unions representing South African public sector workers say the government has seven days to make a deal to stop a planned strike.

Royals flushed: South Africa halves number of recognised monarchies
Half of South Africa's traditional kings and queens will no longer be recognised, a six-year government study concludes.

Runaway tiger found in S Africa after two-day search
A pet tiger that escaped in South Africa is found after a two-day search with helicopters, a tracker and sniffer dogs.

Uche suffers new injury setback
Nigerian striker Ikechukwu Uche suffers a setback in his recovery after damaging his knee again.

El Hamdaoui signs for Ajax
Morocco striker Mounir El Hamdaoui signs for Dutch side Ajax from their rivals AZ Alkmaar on a four-year deal.

Dynamos hopeful ahead of big test
It's another weekend of African Champions League football and Zimbabwe's Dynamos hope to get their campaign back on track.

Easy money?
If kidnapping is so simple, why doesn't everyone do it?

Nigeria leader creates 'bad' bank
Nigeria creates new agency that will take over bad loans.

Japanese buy SA IT company
Japan's NTT to pay $3.2bn for South Africa's Dimension Data.

Algeria
Key facts, figures and dates

Angola
Key facts, figures and dates

Benin
Key facts, figures and dates

Botswana
Key facts, figures and dates

Burkina Faso
Key facts, figures and dates

Burundi
Key facts, figures and dates

Cameroon
Key facts, figures and dates

Cape Verde
Key facts, figures and dates

Central African Rep
Key facts. figures and dates

Chad
Key facts, figures and dates

Comoros
Key facts, figures and dates

Republic of Congo
Key facts, figures and dates

Dem Rep of Congo
Key facts, figures and dates

Djibouti
Key facts, figures and dates

Egypt
Key facts, figures and dates

Equatorial Guinea
Key facts, figures and dates

Eritrea
Key dates, facts and figures

Ethiopia
Key facts, figures and dates

Gabon
Key facts, figures and dates

Gambia
Key facts, figures and dates

Ghana
Key facts, figures and dates

Guinea
Key facts, figures and dates

Guinea-Bissau
Key facts, figures and dates

Ivory Coast
Key facts, figures and dates

Kenya
Key facts, figures and dates

Lesotho
Key facts, figures and dates

Liberia
Key facts, figures and dates

Libya
Key facts, figures and dates

Madagascar
Key facts, figures and dates

Malawi
Key facts, figures and dates

Mali
Key facts, figures and dates

Mauritania
Key facts, figures and dates

Mauritius
Key facts, figures and dates

Morocco
Key facts, figures and dates

Mozambique
Key facts, figures and dates

Namibia
Key facts, figures and dates

Niger
Key facts, figures and dates

Nigeria
Key facts, figures and dates

Rwanda
Key facts, figures and dates

Sao Tome & Principe
Key facts, figures and dates

Senegal
Key facts, figures and dates

Seychelles
Key facts, figures and dates

Sierra Leone
Key facts, figures and dates

Somalia
Key facts, figures and dates

South Africa
Key facts, figures and dates

Sudan
Key facts, figures and dates

Swaziland
Key facts, figures and dates

Tanzania
Key facts, figures and dates

Togo
Key facts, figures and dates

Tunisia
Key facts, figures and dates

Uganda
Key facts, figures and dates

Zambia
Key facts, figures and dates

Zimbabwe
Key facts, figures and dates

Ceuta, Melilla
A profile of the Spanish north African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla

Puntland
A profile of the Somali region which declared autonomy in 1998

Reunion
An overview of the French island in the Indian Ocean

Somaliland
An overview of Somaliland, including key facts, political leaders and notes on the media

St Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha
Key facts for St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha

Western Sahara
Key facts about the territory disputed between Morocco and the Polisario independence movement

Zanzibar
An overview of Zanzibar, including key facts, political leaders and notes on the media

Museveni's tough line on Somalia
Zeinab Badawi talks to Uganda's President Yoweri Musaveni about the African Union's new troop role in Somalia.

Human cost
Madagascar hospitals hit as aid cut over army coup

The original Sinbad?
China searches off Kenya for legacy of legendary mariner

Viewpoint on visitors
Nice when they arrive - just as nice when they leave

Olympic dreams
Namibia's Diamond sparkles in 2012 campaign

Q&A: Kenya vote
A guide to what is at stake in the constitutional referendum

Lost in the desert
Did African divisions hamper efforts to save French hostage?

BBC News - Africa
The latest stories from the Africa section of the BBC News web site.

 

KENYA: Claim Disputed that Trade Measures "Aid" Counterfeiters
A major pharmaceutical company in Kenya alleges that special trade measures to make medicines available in poor countries create "loopholes" for counterfeit medicines to enter the market – a claim that health rights advocates refute.

POLITICS-GUINEA: Women Amongst Also-Rans in Presidential Elections
Celou Dalein Diallo gained a significant advantage over Alpha Condé, his main rival for the Guinean presidency, when a third candidate said he would back Diallo in a second round of voting in August. But what has become of women candidates for high political office in this West African country?

ZIMBABWE: Badly Needed Work Begins on Bulawayo Water System
Dispersing feasting flies and angry residents from a manhole cover spewing sewage from people's homes and into the road: another day in the working life of Njabulo Siziba. It's a dirty, frustrating, thankless job as a civil engineer for Bulawayo city council, but help is at hand for Siziba and the city he serves.

MADAGASCAR: Women Form Own Political Parties for Fair Representation
Brigitte Rasamoelina and Yvette Sylla are women with two different approaches to politics in Madagascar. One formed a political party, while the other decided to legalise her organisation as an association. But both women are considering running in Madagascar's November elections.

HEALTH: Uganda Authority Finding Less Counterfeit Drugs
Uganda's National Drug Authority (NDA) says the failure rate among samples of medicines tested at their laboratories has fallen by 15 percent from the early 2000s. This serves as a possible indication of a drop in the availability of counterfeit medicines in the East African country.

TRADE-NAMIBIA: EU Backs Off on EPA
European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht has appeased leading European civil society organisations about the negotiations for a Southern African economic partnership agreement (EPA), promising "not to put undue pressure" on countries.

TRADE: Malawi Stands Firm on Conditions for Signing EPA
The Malawian government has again stood firm in the face of calls by the European Union (EU) to sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) -- even after top-level EU officials visited the southern Africa to convince it to put pen to paper.

Familiar Pledges on Child and Maternal Health in Africa
During the three-day summit of African Union heads of state, roughly 37,000 children and 2,000 women died across Africa, mostly from preventable causes, says a civil society coalition for child and maternal health. The coalition welcomed African leaders' pledge to make more resources available.

SIERRA LEONE: Defining New Role for Traditional Birth Attendants
Posseh Sesay will never be able to bear children again following a tragic birthing experience at the hands of her village traditional birth attendant (TBA).

ZIMBABWE: Rural Children with HIV a ‘Lost Cause'
Eleven-year-old Irene Thembo* lies curled like a foetus on a white wooden bench for outpatients at a clinic in rural Zimbabwe. The orphan, whose parents died of HIV-related illnesses, is terribly sick.

AFRICA: "Free Trade in Natural Resources Bad for Development"
While some believe that restrictions on natural resource exports should be done away with, this could cause an increase in such exports that would be detrimental to the environment and bad for development.

Boycott Cedes Power To Burundi's Ruling Party
The coalition of 11 major opposition parties which boycotted July 23 national assembly elections will also boycott elections to the senate on July 28. The Alliance of Democrats for Change, as the coalition is known, claims that two previous polls - to elect Burundi's district administrators and the president - were characterised by "massive fraud".

KENYA: Jury Still Out on Traditional Birth Attendants
The government of Kenya has been encouraging women to deliver in hospital. Home deliveries by traditional birth attendants are considered to be a major contributor to maternal deaths.

ZIMBABWE: 'Free' Maternal Health Care Too Costly For Most
As African Union heads of state consider child and maternal health at the 2010 summit in Kampala, Uganda, the perennial question of user fees has reared its head in Zimbabwe. Fees for services are opening a growing gap between policy and implementation in maternal health care in the Southern African country.

MALAWI: Government Money-Saving Measure Costs Traders Dearly
The Malawian government's new cost-cutting prohibition on the hosting of conferences, training sessions and workshops on the shores of Lake Malawi has hit small-scale merchants who ply their trade on the roadsides and beaches of the fresh-water lake.

Africa - INTER PRESS SERVICE
IPS Africa provides news features and analyses on the events and processes affecting political, economic and social development of people and nations in Africa. In directing this coverage, emphasis is put on not only hearing the voices of those in positions of power and formal authority, but more on providing access for actors in civil society and the majority of the people whose voices have often been silent in the media.

 

Arab leaders seek to boost Lebanon stability
Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, visits Beirut with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah as tensions rise over the Hariri tribunal

Hariri tribunal takes Lebanon closer to crisis
Lebanon is braced for another political crisis as a special tribunal set up to try the killers of Rafiq Hariri, the former prime minister, appears to be heading towards indicting members of Hizbollah, the Shia militant group

Gulf's budget carriers aim high
The low-cost carriers have seen their market share grow to between 6 and 8 per cent in 2009, according to industry participants and analysts, and they have plans to go further

EgyptAir sets course for raised profits
In spite of a tough environment with declining profits, the company is pressing ahead with the expansion of its fleet and adding destinations in a bid to lift market share

Sentiment towards UAE stocks improves
Stocks are cheap, and as a result some international investors are as turning more positive on the UAE's boruses

Abbas faces dilemma on Israel talks, says aide
The Palestinian president would be 'totally undermined' if he agreed to hold direct peace talks with Israel under present circumstances, says his chief negotiator

Frattini questions BP drilling off Libya
Plans by to start deep-sea drilling for oil and gas off the country's coast should be brought before the Union of the Mediterranean, according to Franco Frattini, Italy's foreign minister

Japanese tanker damaged in Strait of Hormuz
A Japanese oil tanker has been damaged by an explosion that may have been caused by an attack as it was travelling through the Gulf's strategic waterway

Blix told Blair Iraq may have illegal weapons
Hans Blix, former UN chief weapons inspector, says he told Tony Blair one month before the Iraq invasion that he thought Saddam Hussein may still have weapons of mass destruction in spite of his growing doubts

Scores protest at Egypt brutality trial
Two Egyptian policemen, accused by human rights activists of beating to death a 28-year-old man, went on trial on Tuesday accused of the lesser offences of using excessive force and illegal arrest

EU adopts 'unprecedented' Iran sanctions
The measures ban European companies from investing in Iran's vital oil and gas industries, and also from providing insurance services to Iranian entities, which could hit shipping and transport

Abu Dhabi aims to do more for local start-ups
Regional governments have been supporting new businesses with initiatives aimed at fostering entrepreneurialism and boosting jobs for nationals entering the labour market

Jordan's anti-Israeli voices grow louder
Opposition to the 1994 peace treaty between the two countries is hardening, with anti-normalists being less restrained while NGOs working with Israel feel pressured

Turkey focuses on its backyard
As Turkey has expanded its influence in the Middle East, with an energetic foreign policy that has rattled western allies, analysts have been probing the perceived shift

UAE raises prospect of BlackBerry curbs
The United Arab Emirates raised the possibility on Sunday of restricting or monitoring BlackBerry mobile phones, when the country's regulator said the handsets were not covered by its laws

FT.com - World, Middle East
FT.com - World, Middle East

 

Iran: Ready for Nuclear Talks With Vienna Group
Nuclear chief says his country ready to enter negotiations with US, Russia and France on a possible nuclear fuel agreement

Lebanon Hosts Syrian and Saudi Leaders Friday
Meeting aims to defuse tension over possible Hezbollah indictment for assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri

A 'Twitter Moment' in Politics?
Are social media like YouTube and Twitter a help, or a distraction, when it comes to organizing mass movements of people?

UN Presses for Direct Israeli-Palestinian Talks
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke about talks with several key officials in Middle East this week

Gay Pride March in Jerusalem Angers Orthodox Jews
Gay rights proponents say awareness helps prevent violence, while Orthodox Jews say march in Holy City is a provocation

Mothers of US Hikers Held in Iran Renew Call for Release
The hikers, Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal, were arrested on July 31, 2009, along the Iran-Iraq border

Spain Reissues Warrants for US Soldiers in Iraq Artillery Deaths
Three U.S. tank soldiers are wanted in Spain for firing at Baghdad's Palestine Hotel on April 8, 2003; shelling killed Spanish cameraman

Yemen’s Separatists Call for Southern Uprising
Technically, Yaffa region is well within boundaries of arid Arabian country, but Yemeni government does not rule this area

Iran Offers to End High Quality Uranium Enrichment
Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi says Iran is prepared to stop enriching what experts call 20-percent-grade uranium

Australia to Impose Nuclear Sanctions on Iran
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says sanctions aimed at persuading Iran to halt its nuclear program

Human Rights Watch Concerned About Iraq
Human Rights Watch has grave concerns about the treatment of women, minorities, the disabled, and internally displaced in Iraq

US 'Fully Prepared' for New Nuclear Talks With Iran
Iran this week expressed renewed interest in discussing a proposed trade of its low-enriched uranium for foreign fuel

US Senate Resolution Urges Political Change in Egypt
The US Senate is considering a new resolution on human rights and civil liberties in Egypt

Arab League Backs Mideast Peace Talks With Conditions
League says talks should proceed only when Palestinians are ready

At Least 15 Members of Iraq's Security Forces Killed
Militants opened fire on Baghdad army checkpoint and detonated roadside bombs as police, civil defense teams rushed to the scene

VOA News: Middle East
Middle East Voice of America

 

Morocco's evangelical Christians : Stop preaching or get out

The king is unamused by Christians who proselytise

EVANGELICAL Christians in the poor world are rarely accused of undermining public order. All the more surprising, then, that in recent months around a hundred have been deported from Morocco for just that. The Christians, mostly from the United States and Europe, have been accused of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, a crime punishable by imprisonment under Moroccan law, which protects the freedom to practise one’s faith but forbids any attempt to convert others.

Rules against proselytising are quite common in Muslim countries but Morocco has long enjoyed a reputation as a bastion of religious tolerance in the region. Almost all the country’s 32m citizens are Sunni Muslims but churches and synagogues exist, alongside mosques, to cater for the 1% of the people who are Christian or Jewish. ...

South Africa's opposition: Taking on the behemoth

The battle for a stronger opposition to the African National Congress

IT IS rare for the leader of a political party to appear on the platform at a rival’s congress, even more so to be welcomed with a standing ovation. But that is what Patricia de Lille of South Africa’s Independent Democrats (ID) received at a recent meeting of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the country’s main opposition party, when she indicated that the two parties were close to clinching a formal agreement to co-operate at next year’s municipal elections. This, she said, would be an “engagement” ahead of a full “marriage”. That could be consummated only at the next general election, in 2014, as South Africa’s constitution in effect bars mergers between polls; MPs who change their party allegiance automatically lose their seats.

The merger will barely affect national politics except to shore up the DA in the Western Cape, the only one of nine provinces not controlled by the African National Congress (ANC). Nationwide the ID is tiny: in the last general election, in 2009, it got less than 1% of the vote, returning four MPs. But the merger would give the new entity a chance of doing well in the Northern Cape. Its backing is biggest among mixed-race coloureds, who make up about 9% of the 49m South Africans. Ms de Lille is a coloured former trade unionist and a doughty anti-corruption campaigner. ...

Iran's cross merchants: The bazaar strikes back

Iran’s muttering merchants

WITH its shutters down and shops closed, Tehran’s usually bustling Grand Bazaar has been quiet of late. In the first weeks of July Iran’s powerful merchants went on strike because the government tried to raise their annual income tax by 70%. Even when the government hastily agreed to lift taxes by only 15% after the protests spread to other cities, businesses stayed shut for several days.

The strikes have now ended but the threat of big reforms to Iran’s tax system still looms over the bazaar. Merchants argue that as the economy slows and inflation increases, they should pay less, not more, in taxes. But with lower oil prices, the government wants more money from a wealthy group that at the moment pays relatively little. Iran imposes valued-added tax (VAT) at 3% on large corporations but not on smaller and unincorporated businesses, so until now many of the bazaaris have escaped. The administration wants that to change. A report by the IMF in March detailed Iran’s plans to extend VAT and to modernise the tax system more broadly. ...

Somalia and the African Union: Be beefier

More troops are promised to fight the Shabab Islamist militia

THE African Union (AU) agreed this week to strengthen its peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Two thousand troops from Guinea and Djibouti are to be made “immediately” available, bolstering the 6,000 or so from Uganda and Burundi already defending Somalia’s battered capital, Mogadishu. Their job is supposed to change too, from merely providing protection for Somalia’s weak transitional government to becoming a fighting force in the war against terrorism.

This escalation follows the bombings in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, perpetrated by suicide-bombers sent by Somalia’s Islamist rebels of the Shabab group, which has links to al-Qaeda. More than 80 Ugandans and foreigners watching the World Cup football final on July 11th were killed. ...

Human rights in Tunisia: No to opposition

An ageing autocrat stifles opposition as the European Union shuts its eyes

THE government of Tunisia must do more to uphold human rights and the rule of law and to allow political pluralism if the country is to win “advanced-partner status” to give it cosier relations with the European Union (EU). That, at any rate, is the view of Tunisia’s bravest human-rights campaigners who, earlier this summer, badgered officials in Spain, which then held the EU’s rotating presidency. The Spaniards duly raised the issue in Brussels.

This annoyed Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali (pictured), who has ruled Tunisia since 1987 with virtually no opposition. But far from bowing to such pressure, his parliament passed an amendment to the penal code’s section on espionage, adding a clause that anyone deemed to “harm Tunisia’s vital interests” must go to prison for at least five years. Just to be sure, officials made clear that this includes the crime of “inciting foreign parties not to grant loans to Tunisia, not to invest in the country, to boycott tourism or to sabotage Tunisia’s efforts to obtain advanced-partner status with the EU.” ...

Nigeria's art collectors: A nice new market

Another good way to spend your lovely oil money

IN A suburb of Lagos, Nigeria’s business capital, Yemisi Shyllon lives in a house full of bronze statues of African tribal rulers and brightly coloured beadwork landscapes. He may be Nigeria’s biggest art collector, with some 6,000 pieces by his count. “I don’t go out much,” he says, “I have enough to look at here.”

Mr Shyllon, who runs an engineering company, is one of a small circle of Nigerian businessmen who own huge collections of local art. Sammy Olagbaju, a 70-year-old retired stockbroker who has lived in London and New York, is another avid collector. One Lagos-based banker has over 600 pieces. ...

Kenya's constitutional referendum: A chance to improve how Kenya is run

President Mwai Kibaki and his prime minister, Raila Odinga, are backing a new constitution that could change their country for the better. But tensions are high

THE referendum on a comprehensive new constitution, to be held on August 4th, is being hailed as a big step towards overhauling Kenya’s creaking political system and giving people a better chance of peaceful reform. But nerves are jangling in the run-up. The last time the country went to the polls, in a general election at the end of 2007, the ensuing violence left 1,500 people dead and 300,000-plus homeless.

Never again, said most Kenyans. This time around, the government has been assertive and astute in trying to keep the peace. Ten thousand police have been sent to the Rift Valley, the most combustible bit of the country, with youth gangs from the rival Kalenjin and Kikuyu ethnic groups facing off against each other. Militias are said to be rearming, this time with automatic rifles as well as bows and arrows. If they are not kept apart, they may fight. ...

Correction: Uganda

In our article on July 3rd on the religious right in east Africa entitled “Slain by the spirit”, we misspelt Uganda's Makerere University. Sorry. This was corrected online.

...

Burundi: A hard day's life

Africa’s unsung heroines who work themselves to the bone

ON A chill windy morning in the mountains of Burundi, six women in an “empowerment group” run by an Atlanta-based charity, CARE, sit down under a tree to talk about their day. They have 49 living children between them. Their village, Dihetu, is nondescript, the soil average. The women grow cassava, beans and bananas.

Marie-Jose, aged 42, has ten children. She wakes up at six o’clock and cleans the hut. At half past six she makes tea for the children who go to school in the morning. She is in the fields from seven. At 11 she tends the goats. At noon she prepares lunch for the children who go to school in the afternoon. She is back in the fields from one o’clock. At four she fetches water. At five she gathers firewood. She is back home to cook dinner at six. At seven she washes the children from a bucket. The family eats at eight. Usually it is porridge or beans; they have meat once a year. Often Marie-Jose will forgo dinner to give her children more. At half past eight she prays. “I pray to God that at least we are alive. After prayer I feel joy.” At nine she goes to sleep. ...

Flights to Iraq: You're welcome!

Airlines are starting to fly again to Iraq

DESPITE continuing violence and a four-month stalemate over forming a new government, at least you now can fly to Iraq a little more easily. On July 16th flydubai, a low-cost airline based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), launched no-frills flights to Erbil, capital of Iraq’s Kurdish region. A day before, Basra airport welcomed the first civilian flight from Saudi Arabia to Iraq for 20 years, courtesy of a charter airline, Al-Wafeer. Bahrain’s Gulf Air started flights to three Iraqi cities last year and will add two more by the end of 2010. Etihad, an airline based in Abu Dhabi, the richest of the UAE’s seven statelets, started flights to Baghdad in April. Not to be outdone, its closest rival, Emirates, which is based in Dubai, another UAE state, has started too.

Fewer European airlines have yet been tempted back—and go only to the safer Kurdish area. Austrian Airlines has led the way, followed by Sweden’s Viking Airlines. Germany’s Lufthansa will start flying to Baghdad in September. Scandinavian Airlines plans a Basra route. ...

Africa's year of elections: The democracy bug is fitfully catching on

Africa is in the throes of election fever. But more voting does not necessarily mean more democracy

BURUNDI has just had one, as has Guinea. That came hot on the heels of the semi-autonomous region of Somaliland’s, which followed Ethiopia’s. Rwanda is bracing itself for one at the beginning of next month, and after that Tanzania, Chad and several others are due to follow. By the end of December a score of sub-Saharan Africa’s 48 countries should have gone to the polls for an assortment of local, regional and national elections. Kenya is also holding a vital constitutional referendum on August 4th. This is a big year for African voters. The electoral calendar has never been so crowded.

Indeed, elections have become a normal occurrence on a continent once better known for the frequency and violence of its coups and civil wars. Since the late 1990s the number of coups has fallen sharply (see chart), whereas the number of elections has increased, sometimes in the unlikeliest of places. ...

Burundi's election: Pretty squalid

East Africa’s weakest new component

TURN off the road at the appointed shack in the village of Mugere, on the Burundian side of Lake Tanganyika, and you quickly find the large rock standing alone on a hill. The view is sweeping. On the far side of the deep blue lake, Congo is just out of sight (see map). Carved into the rock are the words “Livingstone and Stanley”. This is where the missionary David Livingstone and the journalist-cum-explorer Henry Morton Stanley spent two nights in 1871, where the headwaters of the lake were discovered, and where, by some reckonings, the European race to control the heart of Africa really began.

But it was an area that no one much coveted. Disease was rife, the ocean distant, the Belgians and Germans who grabbed the territory too conservative to make it rich. So this vast region, stretching down through the Rift Valley and its lakes that punctuate the continent from Uganda down to Zambia in the south, still ranks among Africa’s poorest and least visited. ...

Israel's foreign minister: Might Avigdor Lieberman go?

Strains between the prime and foreign ministers could reshape the coalition

AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN, Israel’s foreign minister, has asked European countries to consider building a power station, a desalination plant and a harbour in the Gaza Strip, promising Israel’s full co-operation in bringing in the necessary raw materials. The aim, says Mr Lieberman, is to end Gaza’s residual dependence on Israel and let the territory’s 1.6m Palestinians fend for themselves. That would dump responsibility for Gaza on neighbouring Egypt. Its connection with the West Bank would be severed, making a territorially linked Palestinian state nigh-impossible to attain. It is an idea that no Western or Arab government could countenance. But it is making waves because Mr Lieberman, an extreme nationalist, has the second-biggest chunk of seats in Israel’s awkward coalition.

Mr Lieberman says that Israel, whose troops and settlers vacated the strip five years ago, must show the world it is no longer in any respect the occupier, as international law currently deems it to be. Western governments and international bodies should police Gaza’s borders and crossing-points to stop weapons illicitly coming in. Israel would presumably lift its naval blockade. All this, argues Mr Lieberman, could be done without talking directly to Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the strip and which Israel, the United States and the European Union still shun as a terrorist outfit. ...

South Africa's economy: How it could do even better

A rare report by the OECD makes some trenchant observations

AFRICA’S biggest economy is being held back by one of the world’s lowest labour-participation rates and one of its highest unemployment rates. Barely 40% of South Africa’s working-age population have jobs, compared with around 60-75% in other middle-income emerging markets, according to a report out this week by the OECD. One in three South Africans in the labour force, including half of young black people aged 15-24, is unemployed. This, more than anything, most constrains South Africa’s economic growth, says the Paris-based outfit.

To create jobs for so many people would require “many years of 6% or even 7% growth”, says Angel Gurria, the OECD’s secretary-general. Pravin Gordhan, South Africa’s finance minister, puts the bar even higher, saying that average growth of 7% would be needed for 20 years “to make a significant impact”. In the past four decades South Africa has never achieved such speedy growth. Its best performance was in 2004-07, when GDP rose by an average of 5% a year. ...

Syria and the niqab: Take it off

A secular-minded government rejects excessively religious dress in school

AS MEMBERS of France’s parliament voted to outlaw the public wearing of the niqab, the Muslim facial veil that exposes just the eyes, Syria is quietly imposing its own curbs. A number of teachers who wear the niqab in schoolhave been transferred to other jobs. The government’s action, so far ordered only orally, has been shrouded in secrecy. But it has been confirmed by civil-society groups that have been approached by some of the 1,200-odd teachers said to have been affected. Ali Saad, the education minister, is reported to have told teachers that the niqab undermines the “objective, secular methodology” of Syria’s schools.

Religious radicals have long been the biggest threat to Syria’s Baathist government and its secular socialism. The crushing of the Muslim Brotherhood in the town of Hama in 1982, when more than 10,000 of its followers were killed, has not been forgotten. More recently, however, the government has sought to curry favour at home by rallying to the cry of Islam. Indeed, in an effort to emulate neighbouring Turkey, President Bashar Assad’s government has posed as a regional champion of moderate Islam. Enthusiasm for shows of religiosity has grown. In the past few years more women have been wearing the veil. Religious books are selling better. More religious schools are being set up. ...

Bombings in Uganda: Somalia comes to Uganda

The Shabab fighters who want to conquer Somalia have begun to bomb their opponents elsewhere in the region, too

THE bombs went off as Ugandans were watching the football World Cup final on the evening of July 11th. The first hit an Ethiopian restaurant in the centre of Kampala, the capital. The second and third, more devastating, ripped through a crowd of people watching the game on a big-screen television at a rugby club on the other side of the city. At least 76 were killed, including an American and several other foreigners.

Somalia’s Shabab (meaning “youth”), an Islamist militia, claimed responsibility, issuing a congratulatory message to wish the bombers a long life. Senior Shabab clerics in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, which the Shabab is trying to conquer, were delighted. Picking through the carnage, Uganda’s police found a severed head with “Somali features”. That pointed to a suicide-bomber. But the subsequent discovery of an unexploded bomb in yet another bar in Kampala suggested otherwise. Relatives of the victims (pictured above) inveighed against the killers. ...

Resilient Lebanon: Perky again—but for how long?

The country is once again on the up. But its people still hold their breath

PROLONGED bursts of gunfire clattered across Beirut, the Lebanese capital, on one recent night, setting nerves ajangle. But this was the racket neither of civil war nor foreign attack, sounds all too familiar to the city. It was revellers cheering, in traditional Lebanese fashion, their favourite team in the football World Cup. A few days later the crackle erupted again. It turned out this time to be neighbours fighting over a parking space, with the bullets mostly sent skyward rather than at each other.

With its penchant for strife and intrigue, expressed through 17 religious sects, myriad party factions and rival foreign meddlers, Lebanon is unlikely soon, if ever, to enjoy normal politics. Lately, however, it seems to have come closer to normal than at any time since its gory 1975-90 civil war. During this year’s World Cup season, enthusiasts flying the flags of Brazil or Germany or other national football teams did not immediately betray which Lebanese sect or party they belonged to, as they once did. And although the nasty escalation of a fight over parking showed that Beirut toughs remain trigger-happy, it also reflected the strain of an economic boom that has sent property prices rocketing and jammed the streets with too many cars. ...

South Africa after the World Cup: Is there a lot more to come?

The country could get a taste for big sporting events

THE hosting of the football World Cup has been a triumph. Foreign fans, some of them sceptics when they arrived, have gone home as converts. Long after South Africans saw their own team eliminated from the tournament, they kept up their vuvuzela-blowing, flag-waving, patriotic exuberance across the racial divide. After the final whistle blew on July 11th, an emotional President Jacob Zuma thanked his compatriots for a “truly inspiring, moving and uplifting month”—which it was.

Sepp Blatter, head of FIFA, world football’s governing body, gave South Africa “nine out of ten” for its performance, saying he would happily back any bid it might now wish to make to host the Olympic Games in 2020 or 2024. Mr Zuma has confirmed that his country may be interested. The city of Durban has already made a pitch; Cape Town may follow; Johannesburg for the moment is keeping mum. ...

Corruption in Nigeria: A prodigal policeman returns

Can a defiant individual make a difference in the war on corruption?

WHILE flitting between Oxford colleges and Washington think-tanks in the past 18 months, Nuhu Ribadu (pictured) kept insisting that what he really wanted was to go home. Nigeria’s former anti-corruption tsar was in self-imposed exile, having made powerful enemies while probing his country’s political elite. But last month he returned, setting tongues wagging about his next move.

As the first head of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), set up in 2003, Mr Ribadu spent four years pursuing politicians and civil servants who were embezzling the country’s vast oil revenues. He was one of several youngish reformers brought into government by President Olusegun Obasanjo to shake up the corrupt political system, and for a few years they were given their heads. In particular, Mr Ribadu went after several of the country’s 36 state governors. One, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was convicted in Nigeria after skipping bail in Britain, where a police raid on his London home uncovered cash worth $1.8m. ...

The Economist: Middle East and Africa
Middle East and Africa