In The News

How Europe's Discarded Computers Are Poisoning Africa's Kids

Clemens Höges December 9, 2009
Twenty years ago, the international community drew up the Basel Convention in order to prevent developed nations from dumping their computer scraps in the developing world. Yet, the last two decades have shown that enforcing such a treaty is difficult. Some countries, such as the US, still haven't ratified the treaty; meanwhile, those who have, such as Germany, still struggle to abide by it...

China ”Wants to Set Up Factories in Africa”

Tania Branigan December 7, 2009
China’s relationship with Africa has been criticized as one focused solely on procuring natural resources. But Beijing is trying to improve this image by potentially moving lower-value manufacturing facilities to sub-Saharan Africa in possible partnership with the World Bank. In the process, this step may help African states develop a manufacturing base and improve their economies. But Africa...

China Helps the Powerful in Namibia

Sharon LaFraniere November 30, 2009
The daughter of Namibia’s president, Hifikepunye Pohamba is studying at the Beijing Culture and Language University under a scholarship provided by the Chinese government. Several other scholarships have also been awarded this year, and only to the children of top Namibian officials. With national elections drawing near Namibia’s anticorruption commission has begun an inquiry into how the...

China in Africa: Soft Power, Hard Results

Loro Horta November 13, 2009
The recent second China-Africa summit in Egypt and Beijing’s pledge of $10 billion in loans to the continent has brought into focus China’s growing investment in Africa, The responses have been diverse, not only from international observers, but also from individuals in the region. Building upon interviews from a broad range of Africans, Visiting Fellow at Nanyang Technological Unversity Loro...

Entertainment the Key to Finding a Common Agenda for Africa

Mwaura Samora October 8, 2009
Reality television shows are popular across Africa, attracting young viewers and making celebrities out of the shows’ stars. The shows promote unity and integration across Africa and allow a new focus on continent-wide issues such as HIV. Supporters say the shows bring Africans together in a way that politicians have been unable to match. Critics, though, say the contestants neither represent...

WTD 2009 – Experts Discuss Role of Tourism in Globalization

Victor Nze October 6, 2009
Many believe globalization undermines cultural diversity through its tendency to homogenize. But this year's World Tourism Day (WTD) celebration included a debate over strategies to partner globalization with diversity through tourism. After all, the panel concluded, diversity can be an economic asset, as different communities serve as resources of “social wealth” that attract increasingly...

Angolan Riches Lure New Wave of Workers

Susan Ferreira September 29, 2009
The global economic crisis has hit small countries like Portugal particularly hard. With few natural resources and a service-driven economy, Portuguese laborers have long relied on seasonal construction jobs elsewhere in Europe, which have grown harder to find as other countries tighten their belts during the downturn. But Angola, Portugal’s former colony, is just emerging from four decades of...