Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra resigns and ignites unrest in Mali

Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra 

            On March 21, a group of soldiers and Captain Sanogo seized power in a coup in Mali. Sanogo promised to crush the rebel separates in the north but failed and lost control of northern Mali. Sanogo did hand over power to the civilian government shortly after the coup. Cheick Modibo Diarra has been the Prime Minister in Mali since April when the army handed power back to civilians. He just resigned along with his entire government. The Prime Minister resigned with a short speech after he was arrested by several military soldiers linked to the March coup. In his speech Diarra did not mention any reason for resigning.

Spokesmen for the group of soldiers who seized power in March say this is not another coup. Diarra was arrested as he tried leaving Mali for France. The spokesmen said the Prime Minister was arrested for “inciting trouble”. Witnesses of the arrest say the Prime Minister “was arrested by about 20 soldiers late on Monday” who “smashed in the door of the prime minister’s residence and took him away a bit violently”. For a while now, tensions have been mounting between Diarra and the soldiers who led Mali’s coup in March. Diarra has organized demonstrations calling for UN resolution to plan military intervention in northern Mali.

Crisis is erupting in Mali. The president needs to appoint a new prime minister as soon as possible. The civilian government and the Malian army have had continuing conflict over how to deal with the Tuareg rebels (with Al-Qaeda ties) in the north. The military has made it very clear that they do not want foreign boots on the ground. They are not opposed to tactical and financial support but they are also concerned with their sovereignty and stability in their country.

Mali has a multidimensional problem. First, there are outside pressures after the military coup for the military to give back power to civilian government. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threats to impose sanctions on Mali’s military rulers. Second, the Tuareg controls most of the north, which is one third of the population. There are many questions what could happen to Mali. Can the coup leaders fulfill their promise to hand the country back to civilians? What will that mean for the rebellion in the north? And what does it all mean for the people of Mali?

article: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/12/201212114415249884.html

Africa’s Future: Hope, and doubt, south of the Sahara

Tuesday December 11, 2012

Africa’s Future: Hope, and doubt, south of the Sahara

            On November 22, 2012, The Economist published an article examining both the optimistic visions and the pessimistic visions of Africa’s future. Numerous pundits foresee a bright future for sub-Saharan Africa. Pundits muse that in this century, there is potential for what has conventionally been regarded as “the Asian century” to turn out to be the century of Africa. This point is highlighted by the fact that China is ageing so rapidly that the population will likely get too old before they get rich. This notion leaves room for Africa to emerge as a major player in the socio-economic and political arena of international relations. Optimism about Africa’s future is based on several observations: first, free and fair elections are not exactly commonplace per se, but they are becoming more widely practiced. Even more attractive to outsiders is Africa’s wealth of natural resources- oil, gas, minerals, raw materials- as well as a “forthcoming ‘demographic dividend’ as a young generation of Africans move into the workplace.

            In contrast, there also exists much skepticism regarding pundits’ optimisms about Africa. The current strife in the Democratic Republic of Cong where the M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda and Uganda, have seized the eastern town of Goma and are threatening to march west towards the capital, Kinshasa. The outcome of the present situation is uncertain, however the complex negotiations occurring between DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, and the United Nations will definitely continue for quite some time.

            The issue of Africa’s future is of great importance for the African and global economy. The optimism highlighted regarding Africa’s future stems from foreign investors who have become increasingly drawn to the continent and its potential. This fact is importance because is presents high hopes for increased international business, with countries other than China, and the potential for future prosperity once the younger generation comes to power. In order to combat the internal issues that plague sub-Saharan Africa, whose population is becoming increasingly urbanized, urban voters need to demand the better governance that the region desperately needs. The likelihood that these demands will be met however, is slim given that no democratically elected African leaders have governed well, raised living standards and then voluntarily left office since 2009; these are the conditions upon which some donor countries stipulate their aid funding, and as African leaders have failed to meet these conditions, it will be difficult for urban voters to achieve their demands for better governance.

Source:

"Africa's Future Hope, and Doubt, South of the Sahara." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 22 Nov. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2013/2012/11/africas-future?zid=304&ah=e5690753dc78ce91909083042ad12e30>

Ghana's Success With Democracy and What it Means for Africa

Yesterday Ghana, in its first big elections of this political year, selected John Dramani Mahama as their new president in a conclusion of a very close race that found soon to be President Mahama the victor by a slim margin of 50.7 percent of the vote while his opponent, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, obtained 47.7 percent of the electorate. This result marks the 6th time that Ghana has had a conclusive and fairly transparent election (results form this time around and times in the pass to be free and fair by international standards) and cements the durability of democracy within the country as well as Ghana's example for other countries within the whole continent of Africa. 

Other than this news confirming the fact that Ghana is now looking to become Sub-Saharan Africa's shining example of effective democracy, and the fact that it is my parents country of origin this news is important to me (and should be important to us all) in large part that the success of democracy in Ghana can ultimately mean a whole lot for the success of democracy in Africa in the future. Furthermore, Ghana can also provide observers with a great case study to see what factors of democracy work and didn't work in Ghana, why, and how we can use this information to help foster more applications of real democratic policies throughout the continent. 

Looking towards the future, Ghana's migration towards democracy has and will continue to be interesting, and as the country faces new and more important obstacles such as: growing Oil industry and projects, social issues such as education and sexuality, and continuing regional conflict, the way Ghana deals with these issues will most likely determine whether or not it will continue on this path. As for policymakers and observers in the future for Ghana and the rest of the continent in terms of democracy, we must allow for African countries to develop these ideals on their own time and allow for Africans to have their own beliefs on what issues matter most to their lives and their country. The best policymakers can do is observe and apply what we see negatively and positively in these situations, rather than command and monitor (like we are used to doing) when it comes to supporting the increase of democracy within the region. Doing this will ensure that Africans and Africans alone determine the fate of democracy on the continent and with the recent Arab Spring in the Middle East we can see what big and monumental change this can lead to. 

Articles:

Ghana: Congratulations, President John Dramani Mahama. December, 11, 2012

Ghana's Opposition Rejects Outcome of Presidential Polls. December, 11, 2012

http://allafrica.com/stories/201212111138.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/201212110115.html

Daily newspaper published in Accra, Ghana

Website: http://www.ghanaian-chronicle.com/

Has Anything Changed in the DRC?

Lisa Ling, an American journalist known for her journalism work to bring attention to human and women's rights issues and willingness to travel to some of the most dangerous places in the world, traveled to the DRC to a village called Bukavu to report on the effect the civil war on women in the war torn country. Her story detailed the near four million people who had died in the country and how mass sexual assault against women was used daily as simply another weapon for the fighters in the conflict. She was quoted as saying "More than any other place the Congo can really be like living hell"

This story aired on The Oprah Show in 2005, nearly seven years ago.

Since this time, very little has changed regarding this issue. Recent news articles titled “Humiliation of the Congolese”, “DRC: Further Bloodshed and Exhaustion”, “East Congo Rebels Rely on Fear and Chaos” and “A Congolese Mother: Her life on the Run” clearly illustrate this continuing problem that effects the whole country even beyond the obvious costs of war (instability, human rights violations, etc). This particular issue also contributes to other issues we have discussed such as the spread of AIDS and Badvocacy.

The continuing prevalence of this issue despite the length of time it has continued and the media coverage it has received leads me to ask two questions:

Does media coverage of such events ever truly lead to help in stopping the issues reported?

As we look at the future of the DRC, do we see hope in the next seven years for progress in solving this conflict?

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Reaching-Out-to-the-World/5#ixzz2Ely2ZLhL
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-congo-rebels-20121211,0,7697702.story 
Read more: http://members4.boardhost.com/acnaus/msg/1355206569.html
Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/congolese-mother-answers-questions-about-her-life-on-the-run
Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/democratic-republic-of-congo-further-bloodshed-and-exhaustion-facing-internally-displaced-persons-in-masisi

Hopeful Potential in Struggling Somalia

The East African country of Somalia has a plethora of difficulties, with the two primary ones being that it seemingly always heads failed state indices and that it experiences tragic humanitarian crises. However, last week, the United Nations took a bold, encouraging step forward by launching a humanitarian appeal for the nation. We have discussed foreign aid the past two weeks in class, and I think this initiative is also very pertinent to the topic of Africa’s future. It would be a momentous statement if this approach was successful in poor, unstable Somalia.

The specifics of the appeal demonstrate the large scale that is being taken. The appeal calls for $1.3 billion for 3.8 million people in dire need of help. A total of 177 NGOs and UN agencies will implement the aid, specifically for 369 projects. The main focus will be on agriculture, such as improving crop inputs and livestock. As well, another important dimension is that both humanitarian and development efforts will be incorporated at the start, as opposed to the normal linear sequence of these two.

The issues we discussed in class are very apparent when analyzing this aid. Both categories of aid opinion have something to support. Aid optimists will be pleased with the large amount of money involved and the goal of reaching much of the population. Aid pessimists will be pleased with the large number of projects undertaken, which are smaller and more controllable. As well, the bilateral approach could produce the domestic capacity and self-sufficiency needed. With the sequence method, if humanitarian efforts failed, the development aspect was not even reached.

Despite these points, many of the aid perils could also occur. Local issues, like land tenure and pastoralist-farmer disputes, cannot be ignored. As well, the large number of NGOs and UN agencies involved is worrisome. There is a higher probability of coordination failure and accountability failure. These actors should not seize and overpower either, as will be tempting with the Somali political situation. As always, there is the issue of corruption. There are some technologies to ensure the aid is correctly distributed, but those methods are expensive. Lastly, with the large scale also come collective action problems and the urge to free-ride.

I am very interested in seeing the future of this appeal. Somalia continues to struggle in many aspects, and focusing the aid there is risky. However, the possibility of failure is met with great potential, for this appeal is different in many ways. The hope is that it does not become just another example of ineffective aid. If the aid works, even only moderately, it would be fantastic. It could be exemplary for the numerous other African countries similarly struggling, and that could have profound impacts on Africa’s future.

Sources:

Tran, Mark. “Somali’s journey from disaster to resilience a test case for development.” The Guardian. 7 Dec 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/dec/07/somalia-journey-disaster-resilience-development.

“UN launches $1.3 billion appeal for humanitarian needs in Somalia.” UN News Centre. 4 Dec 2012. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43674&Cr=somalia&Cr1=#.UMT_T6V97Fs. 

2024 Olympics Bid: Nairobi Sets Their Sights

As excitement builds for the first Olympic Games in South America (Rio 2016), other countries are looking ahead to Games even farther in the distance. Kenya has now joined the list of countries bidding for the 2024 Games. The bidding process is long, arduous, and costly, even for developed countries who aim to get the Games. However, this would be a momentous occasion for Africa as a whole if Nairobi won the bid; they would thus be the first African city to host the Games. With the successful staging of the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, Africa doesn’t seem like such a scary place anymore to host international sporting events.

However, it seems strange to think about Nairobi in quite the same way that people thought about London leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games. When people think about London, iconic images come to mind of the Royal Family, Big Ben, and the London Eye. What sort of image do people have when they think about Nairobi? The top stories about Africa lately have been about poverty, violence, and corruption- not quite the kind of place where people would be willing to go to watch gymnastic matches. The most recent story about Nairobi on CNN is about a fatal grenade blast that occurred on a minibus in November of this year. It is difficult to think about a place like this being ready to host one of the world’s most prestigious and watched sporting events.

And yet, similar events like this occur around the world on a daily basis. One day after London found out that they were the 2012 Host City, there were terrorist attacks on the London Underground. There is no guarantee that the 2024 Games will be exceptionally different, no matter who wins the bid. Nairobi is up against some tough competition, though; the U.S and Canada are planning a joint bid to host the Games in Toronto and Buffalo. France is also joining the race once more. Bidding for the Olympics is nothing new for them, and experience matters in something as complicated as an Olympic bid.

Though the bidding process will be costly and time-consuming for Nairobi, it is still worth a shot. Perhaps if the Games were in more regions of the world that are relatively unknown, or known for the wrong reasons, then perceptions could change. It is possible that the world could start seeing Africa not as a dark continent but rather a place of change and hope for the future. Furthermore, maybe focus will begin to shift from seeing South Africa as the sole developed country in Africa and other successful countries will receive more recognition. As Nairobi gears up to bid for the 2024 Games, the world will be watching. 

Sources: 

Nairobi Olympic Bid:http://www.webpronews.com/2024-olympics-bid-nairobi-sets-their-sights-2012-08

Kenya Grenade Attacks: http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/18/world/africa/kenya-grenade-attack/index.html?iref=allsearch

London Terrorist Attacks: http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=917172&page=1#.UMUDcJPjk45

Contrasting Solutions to the Crisis in Mali

Nine months after the coup that dissolved Mali’s democratic government, resulting in an interim government based in northern Mali, discussions have begun between two of the rebel groups and the national government. To give a brief summary of the crisis, junior soldiers first seized the presidential palace on Mach 22^nd, 2012. At this time the government was dissolved and the constitution suspended. Only two weeks later, a rebel group named the National Movement for the Liberation of Azaward (MNLA) seceded from northern Mali and formed a new state, Azawad. This claim was then withdrawn when Islamist groups associated with Al-Qaeda influenced them. Currently, Mali is being run by an interim government led by Dioncounda Traoré, former President of the General Assembly.

In regards to the current talks, Mali’s government and two of the four main rebel groups are meeting to discuss the end of this crisis that has divided the country. The armed groups are MNLA and Ansar Dine. The discussions have taken place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and are being mediated by leaders of countries such as Algeria and Burkina Faso. Compaore, President of Burkina Faso has met with the two rebel group representatives independently and they plan on negotiating, but commitments have yet to be made. Thus far, all parties have agreed to respect the country’s “national unity” (Al Jazeera), territorial integrity, reject extremism and terrorism, and to “respect… human rights, human dignity and basic and religious freedoms” (Middle East Online). Top U.S. diplomats for Africa are encouraging the country to hold free and credible elections by April 2013 to end the crisis.

Also at this time, the African Union and Chad are once again asking the United Nations to authorize military intervention to retake the “Azaward” region of Mali. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) claims to have 3,000 troops prepared for deployment and are awaiting the UN’s approval. The President of the Ivory Coast, Outtara also approves this intervention. The international community is concerned that al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), another armed group, has unchecked power at this time and can utilize their new location to attack both Europe and northern Africa. In a recent speech to the Homeland Security Police Institute at George Washington University, General Carter Ham explained that this branch of al Qaeda is currently recruiting and supporting militant Islamic organizations in the North African region. He went on to say that this organization is “strengthening its hold in Northern Mali” (Huffington Post), and perhaps even becoming the best armed and financed of the al Qaeda “franchises”. The United Nations has responded to this request by stating “military operation may be required as a last resort to deal with the most hardline extremist and criminal elements in the north” (Middle East Online). African leaders speculate this approval may come as early as the end of the month.

The big question at this time is: Which solution will prevail in Mali? While peaceful talks between the interim government and two of the main rebel groups may be the more ‘democratic’ resolution, will it be effective? With news headlines such as “Mali neighbours urged to step up border patrols” (The Australian), “Why the world is preparing for war in Mali” (The Week), and “Mali: Al-Jazeera Journalists Detained in Mali for Two Days” (All Africa), I’m uncertain how productive these talks will be without a U.N.-sanctioned military intervention as a threatening back up. Particularly with al Qaeda appearing to utilize these northern regions as recruitment and training facilities, its unclear how willing these rebel groups will be to give up their newly acquired land. 

Sources:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/12/201212420515159568.html
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=55919
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-hayden/the-long-war-reaches-mali_b_2247968.html
http://theweek.com/bullpen/column/237457/why-the-world-is-preparing-for-war-in-mali
http://allafrica.com/stories/201212061593.html