In The News

Mugabe Sells Bankrupt Zimbabwe's Assets to China

Rochelle Mutton August 1, 2005
With a highly unsavory international reputation and one of the world's most sluggish economies, Zimbabwe and its leader, Robert Mugabe, have very few cards left to play. One of those cards is its natural resource wealth. As a result, China has been willing to trade with the otherwise isolated African country. Though details of Mugabe's recent talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao...

From Shoes to Aircraft to Investment, Zimbabwe Pursues a Made-in-China

Michael Wines July 27, 2005
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has earned the scorn of most Western countries for his brutal suppression of human rights.. As a result, amidst calls for democratic reforms, Zimbabwe’s trade has dwindled. However, China, in constant search for natural resources and markets to fuel its economic boom, has shown itself willing to overlook the rough governance styles of its trading partners....

Africa Should Follow China Online

David Bowen July 12, 2005
Although there has recently been much talk about African entrepreneurs seeking to turn their continent around, David Bowen suggests that their prospects look bleak, particularly considering the lack of African commercial activity on the internet. Africa's situation is in stark contrast to that of Asia – especially China – where traders have taken advantage of online networking opportunities...

A Place Where Women Rule

Emily Wax July 9, 2005
The small community of Umoja, Kenya, is a unique experiment in social progress and gender equality. The town serves as a refuge for women and does not admit men, much to the chagrin of the latter. Umoja represents a new awareness among African women about AIDS, rape, spousal abuse, and the gaps in legal codes that allow such violations to go unpunished. Women are increasingly banding together and...

How Africans See the Initiative to Help the Continent

Bashir Goth July 8, 2005
As the G-8 discusses plans to cancel Africa's debt this week, most agree that the world's richest countries can and should aid the ailing continent. In fact, the group agreed to double aid to Africa by 2010. But in the excitement surrounding the G-8 summit, few have asked Africans how they feel about the plan. The answer, supplied by African journalist Bashir Goth, is surprisingly...

Africa Needs an Al-Jazeera

Philip Fiske de Gouveia July 6, 2005
The spotlight on Africa of late has focused on many laudable goals: sustainable development, debt relief, disease prevention and control, and reining in governmental corruption. But promoting democracy and permanently establishing open and honest government, Philip Fiske de Gouveia writes, is inherently linked to a feature which most Africa nations still lack: a free press. The overwhelming...

Choking on Aid Money in Africa

Erich Wiedemann July 5, 2005
When G-8 leaders assemble at the summit in Scotland this week, they face an increasingly complex challenge of reexamining aid packages currently being offered to Africa. Despite the large sums of foreign aid flowing into the troubled continent each year, Africans continue to suffer from malnutrition and disease. Citing factors such as incompetent planning and corruption, a growing number of...