Africa Up Close

Minibuses and cars pause on the road into Bujumbura, Burundi, in more peaceful times. Photo by Dave Proffer, via Flickr. Creative Commons.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

Burkina Faso Coup Leader Charged Over Sankara Murder
Al-Jazeera – December 7

Burkina Faso’s civilian government, which carried out the country’s first free elections in decades, has charged General Diendere, the military leader behind September’s failed coup, in connection with the murder of Thomas Sankara. The general, who was a close supporter of longtime leader Blaise Compaoré, was linked in the death of legendary socialist hero Sankara before the coup, but these links are much more concrete.

In Nigeria, Newly Appointed Officials Signal Shift in Economic Policy
Washington Post – December 1

Buhari’s ministerial list, which puts some of the country’s best technocratic talent in charge of portfolios like mining, power, and industry suggests a genuine commitment to economic diversification. Ministries like mining (technically called ‘the ministry of solid minerals’ by the government) have been neglected for decades by governments willing to ride high oil prices or unable to muster the political capital to make difficult diversification decisions.

Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

ISIS Recruitment Thrives in Brutal Prisons Run by U.S.-Backed Egypt
The Intercept – November 24

Al-Sisi’s government is engaged in some of the worst human rights abuses Egypt has seen, according to rights groups. The military government’s prisons have become notorious both for their scale—the government holds 41,000 political prisoners by some accounts—and their brutality. The Intercept suggests that Egypt’s prisons have become perfect recruiting grounds for ISIS supporters, who feed on prisoners’ anger, fear, and disillusionment with the repressive state.

Burundians Living in Daily Fear Face Choice: Flee, or Risk Dying in the Attempt
The Guardian – December 4

Many Burundians have fled the violence in their country, to internally displaced person camps or to neighboring countries. Many of those who have fled were still putting their lives back together since the end of the civil war in 2005, and the various flareups of violence since.

Trade, Investment, and Sustainable Development

Corruption Is on the Rise, Most South Africans and Nigerians Believe
Quartz Africa – December 1

New Afrobarometer and Transparency International data suggests that most people among the tens of thousands across 28 countries polled believe corruption is getting worse in their countries. This includes vast majorities in South Africa and, interestingly, Nigeria, despite President Buhari’s intense anti-corruption drive. When asked to highlight government priorities, Nigerian voters put services disrupted by corruption like power, security, and schools above fighting corruption itself.

The Intersection of Evaluation and Innovation
Africa Up Close November 30

Rigorous evaluation and monitoring programs are one key to successful aid projects, but too many international development programs continue to throw good money at bad initiatives by ignoring the difficult task of self-assessment.

Africa’s Strategic Role in the Global Arena

Survive and Advance: The Economics of Smuggling Refugees and Migrants into Europe
The Institute for Security Studies and The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime – December 1

A major report on the economics of the refugee crisis, and the role that smugglers play concludes that the chaos in Libya has created a gateway into the Mediterranean for smugglers. Many experts see cracking down on professional smugglers as both a way to stem the flow of refugees and migrants into Europe and to prevent the worst tragedies of desperate migrants abandoned at sea.

Kenya Gambled and Lost at the ICC’s Yearly Conference–But It’s Not Game Over Yet
Justice in Conflict Blog – December 4

An interesting account of Kenya’s soft power attack on the International Criminal Court by one of the moderators at an event that was part of the ICC’s annual conference. The country sent a massive delegation to the conference, where it unsuccessfully sought to rally support for the country’s position that the ICC was anti-African and biased in its trial of Kenya’s deputy president.