In The News

India Must Tread Carefully in Africa

James Lamont May 31, 2011
Since the mid-17th century, spurred by colonialism, Indians have crossed the Indian Ocean for jobs and trade in the nations of eastern and southern Africa. Yet once-isolated China quickly caught up during the past two decades, forming deep connections over commodities trading, economic development and political summits, explains James Lamont in the Financial Times,. During a May trip to Ethiopia...

Carbon Confusion

Emilie Filou May 18, 2011
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism, African nations and businesses anticipate global attitudes to swing against carbon emissions. Since Africa produces about 4 percent of annual global CO2 emissions, its mitigation potential is therefore negligible, reports Emilie Filou for This is Africa Online. Yet South Africa, the globe’s 13th largest emitter...

Libyan Fallout: Does NATO Divide the Atlantic Partners? Part II

Tomas Valasek May 12, 2011
Despite internal divisions, Europe handily leads the military campaign in Libya, taking on global-policing duties long shouldered by the US. NATO’s objectives have shifted and expanded since 1949, with members divided about threats and strategy. This YaleGlobal series analyzes the transformation in the NATO alliance resulting from the Libyan crisis. Members share common goals, and thus the...

Libyan Fallout: Does NATO Divide the Atlantic Partners? Part I

Alistair Burnett May 10, 2011
With differing levels of enthusiasm among members, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization mounts military operations to end the Libyan government’s attacks on civilians. This two-part series analyzes the NATO mission and members’ commitment to the alliance’s future. In the first article, Alistair Burnett, of BBC News, describes the alliance’s intervention in Libya as half-hearted. Of 28 NATO...

Battle Pits Cocoa Speculators Against Chocolate Makers

Hauke Goos, Ralf Hoppe May 3, 2011
In recent years, many forces influence cocoa trading prices, including attempts by speculators to corner world markets. “Speculators act as accelerants – and the smaller the market, the easier their game,” report Hauke Goos and Ralf Hoppe for Spiegel Online. Cocoa is among the smallest commodities markets, requiring only £7 billion to buy an entire year's harvest, and a few financiers can...

An Alliance Without a Strategy

Jörg Himmelreich April 26, 2011
NATO’s attacks on Libya since mid-March, designed to protect citizens, so far deliver neither quick relief from the fighting nor end of the Gaddafi regime. NATO was divided going into Libya and is just as divided a month later. By encouraging Europe to take the lead in Libya, the US exposed European security weaknesses. Alliance members lack a sense of purpose, instead pursuing national or even...

The Threat to Africa's Fledgling Democracy

Kofi Annan April 26, 2011
The yearning for democracy is not enough. Citizens must set high standards for elections – ensuring secret ballots, secure polling places and fair rules – Kofi Annan argues in an opinion essay for the Financial Times. Candidates, too, must accept voters’ decisions. That didn’t happen in Côte d'Ivoire, where Alassane Ouattara was declared winner but President Laurent Gbagbo refused to...