Africa 2009

Since the only response to my ‘what do you want us to do’ post involved more coverage of Africa I though I would try to start getting into answering that request. The BBC has offered a good ‘what will Africa face in 2009′ article which helps gives us some focus.

I encourage you to read the article and keep track of the stories they discuss but just for those who don’t have the time right now some of the issues that they think will be key to the continent.

• At the center of US/Africa relations will, of course, be the Presidency of Barack Obama, which many hope will help with relations. I’m not sure that it will, after all President Bush has done more for Africa int he last 8 years than most of his predecessors but problems remain
• In Ghana they will also be adjusting to a new administration, after a very close election it remains to be seen if the fragile democracy will endure
• Elections loom in Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa so there will be plenty to watch
• In Zimbabwe we still have the ‘Hitler of the month’ in the form of Robert Mugabe
• Sudan and Darfur still need to be resolved, with the lives of many hanging in the balance

As always, the perennial issues of poverty, disease, starvation, war and similar problems seem to filter into every aspect of society.

I will try to make semi regular posts on this important continent

3 Responses to “Africa 2009”

1. Manchester2 says:

   January 6, 2009 at 11:49 am

   Thanks, Patrick, for the post. One angle rarely looked at is the competition between China and the U.S. on that continent. To my knowledge, one reason that Mugabe has been able to cling to power for so long in Zimbabwe (despite the economic meltdown that makes ours look like child's play in comparison) are his ties to mainland China. For a primer, see this excellent article. President Bush's active involvement in Africa can be seen as a counterbalance to Chinese influence. The oil angle is also present, since vast reserves exist in Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, and (perhaps) in Ghana.
2. GreenDreams says:

   January 6, 2009 at 12:32 pm

   China is everywhere in Africa, and has locked up much of the continent's base of natural resources. I'll give Bush half a point for trying to improve our position with Africa, but it's a failure. Most African mineral resources are already pledged to China. There's no coverage of this, but it's global. For example, here in Colorado, the entire output of the world's second largest molybdenum mine is pledged to China. For those who don't appreciate the strategic importance of that, moly steel is used to make drill bits for mining and drilling oil wells. We have systematically sold out America to China, and we let them take Africa too.
3. GreenDreams says:

   January 6, 2009 at 12:37 pm

   BTW, I can't find your previous post. Got a link?