Africa News Update
Africa News Update offers news, background and feature articles from African sources twice weekly. The newsletter is free of charge and is edited by the Norwegian Council for Africa. Some of the articles may be shortened.
South Africa: Presidency reacts to portrait
Tshwane/Pretoria (South Africa) - The Presidency says it is "shocked and disgusted" at the painting by Brett Murray depicting President Jacob Zuma in an offensive manner. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
BuaNews (South Africa)
Uganda: One day he’ll come along, he’ll be big and strong, he’ll be rich, not young (opinion)
Kampala (Uganda) - Something is happening in Kampala society and Bukedde Television is helping bring it out. People are getting bolder in their search for life partners and both men and women go openly on television to make their pitch for a suitor. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
The East African (Kenya), by Joachim Buwembo*
Africa: Russia still struggling to gain foothold in Africa
Moscow (Russia) - As Russia’s new president Vladimir Putin begins a new phase of economic growth, trade experts are keeping a watchful eye on Moscow’s policies with the African continent, which they see as a huge, untapped source of economic opportunity. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Inter Press Service (IPS)
Ethiopia: How Meles rules the country (analysis)
Meles Zenawi is the cleverest and most engaging president in Africa - at least when he talks to visiting outsiders. When he speaks to his fellow Ethiopians, he is severe and dogmatic. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
African Arguments, by Richard Dowden*
Egypt: Ahead of elections, military well entrenched
Cairo (Egypt) - As Egyptians prepare to elect their country’s first president since the uprising that toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak, the military junta that has ruled for the last 15 months has shown little sign it is prepared to accept civilian oversight. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Inter Press Service (IPS)
Guinea-Bissau: The real reasons for the coup d'état
On 12 April 2012 the people of Guinea-Bissau and the international community were surprised by another coup d'état in Guinea-Bissau. There have been several since the country declared its independence in 1973. While Guinea-Bissau has become accustomed to violence and tragic events (military coups in 1980, 1986, and 2003, civil war in 1998/99; and the assassination of a president and other high state officials, including several chiefs of staff of the armed forces) no one was prepared for this event. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Pambazuka Press, by Carlos Cardoso*
Somalia: UN threatens the democratic movement
On May 1, 2012, the UN Special Representative (SR), the African Union Special Representative (AUSR) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Facilitator (IGADF) for Somalia distributed a press release threatening those they call “spoilers” of the Somali political process with sanctions. Here is how they articulated the threats to those who might interfere with the process, including sanctions and other unspecified measures: Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Pambazuka News, by Abdi Ismail Samatar*
Africa: Rhodes’s spectre haunts Europe; Africa beware a new imperialism!(opinion)
Nairobi (Kenya) - The body count of European governments being felled by the economic crisis continues to rise. After the determined two-decade embrace of neo-liberal economic policies following the end of the Cold War, most Western countries find themselves directly or indirectly in debt to large private banks, and their economies at the mercy of massive speculative adventures by short-termist market speculators. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
The East African (Kenya), by Kalundi Serumaga
Sudan-South Sudan: Back in Kakuma camp again
Kakuma (Kenya) - Six years after leaving a Kenyan refugee camp for his home in Sudan, where a 2005 accord was supposed to have put a permanent end to decades of civil war, David Aguer is back again, with his stepmother and six siblings. Read >
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)