Formerly ‘Africa Recovery’ United Nations Department of Public Information Vol. 24 No. 1 April 2010
New media: giving young Africans a voice
‘Crisis in waiting’ on AIDS medicines Africa Media Online / Antony Kaminju Antony / Online Media Africa Africa rejects coups, defends democracy
PLUS Rights for Africa’s disabled United Nations Vol. 24 No. 1 April 2010 contentsFeatures Young Africans put technology to new uses ...... 3 Africa defends democratic rule...... 10 A ‘crisis in waiting’ for AIDS patients. . . . . 16 Africa’s disabled will not be forgotten . . . . 18
Also in this Issue MDGs: time to step up...... 5
Africa’s displaced people: out of the shadows . . . .6 Even with peace, Liberia’s women struggle . . . . .8
‘Stability is based on democracy’ O’Reilly Finbarr / Reuters Interview with Said Djinnit...... 13 Africans extend solidarity to Haiti...... 22
Departments
Agenda...... 23 Books...... 23 Military coups and other unconstitutional seizures of power cannot be tolerated, argues the African Union. Watch...... 24
Africa Renewal is published in English and French by the Strategic Communications Division Editor-in-Chief of the United Nations Department of Public Information. Its contents do not necessar- Masimba Tafirenyika ily reflect the views of the United Nations or the publication’s supporting organizations. Articles from this magazine may be freely reprinted, with attribution to the author and to Managing Editor Writers Ernest Harsch Michael Fleshman “United Nations Africa Renewal,” and a copy of the reproduced article would be appreciated. André-Michel Essoungou Copyrighted photos may not be reproduced. Research Production Correspondence should be addressed to: Marian Aggrey Chris van der Walt The Editor, Africa Renewal Room M-16031 Administration Distribution United Nations, NY 10017-2513, USA, Marlene Tremblay-Gervais Atar Markman Tel: (212) 963-6857, Fax: (212) 963-4556 e-mail: [email protected]
Subscribe to Africa Renewal We have a new web address: Africa Renewal offers free subscriptions to individual readers. Please send your request to Circulation at the address above or by e-mail to
Africa Renewal is printed on recycled paper. Young Africans put technology to new uses Kenyan software a tool for political participation
By André-Michel Essoungou of the team used government sources, aid for increased political participation. Using t 11 p.m. on 2 January 2008, groups’ information and press reports to their cell phones, ordinary citizens helped back from Nairobi, Kenya, an verify events submitted to Ushahidi (“tes- counter rumours and what they perceived A exhausted Ory Okolloh — a to be official underestimations. They Johannesburg-based Kenyan law- were able to help record trends and yer in her thirties — posted the fol- patterns of violent incidents. lowing message on her blog: “For the reconciliation process to occur Democratizing information at the local level the truth of what In an e-mail to Africa Renewal, happened will first have to come David Hersman, one of Ushahidi’s out. Guys looking to do something co-founders, affirms that the “only — any techies out there willing to goal was to create a simple means do a mashup of where the violence for ordinary Kenyans to say what and destruction is occurring using was going on.” The idea, he adds, Google Maps?” was “to democratize information For most of the previous week, in what was a very closed media at post-election violence had flared up the time.” in Kenya, leaving scores of people Juliana Rotich, another Ushahidi dead. Ms. Okolloh herself had left co-founder, shares that view. Yet she the country in an evacuation. “The notes the limited impact the plat- trip to the airport was one of the scar- form had within Kenya at the time. iest moments in my life,” she wrote No communication campaign was on her blog. designed to help people learn about
Live media broadcasts had been Hoogervorst Fred / Panos the platform. Those who used it were suspended and, among the large mostly people already connected to Kenyan diaspora around the world, the Internet regularly. “We were not many relied on bloggers like Ms. able to reach a critical mass of people Okolloh to follow what was hap- in the country, partly because we did pening in their country. “I was not get much local awareness,” Ms. updating my blog almost every five Rotich told Africa Renewal. “But at minutes,” she recalls. But she soon the same time, it did help since no realized that more information was Young Kenyans pioneered the use of cell phone calls and text one threatened to shut us down.” messaging to monitor political conflict, and their “Ushahidi” soft- needed and launched the appeal. A By allowing young Africans to ware is now used in different parts of the globe for humanitarian flurry of contributions by dozens relief, election monitoring and other purposes. contribute to ongoing discussions of compatriots followed. One per- and events, new technologies pro- son suggested a webpage listing vide them with unparalleled access casualties with details on where and how timony” in Swahili). to political debate. “In the African context, they had died. Another envisaged posting Ushahidi illustrates how young being able to voice one’s opinion freely is information on displaced persons in need Africans are using new technologies to not that easy, especially for young people,” of help. “It could help raise awareness,” enter the political arena. According to a comments Théophile Kouamouo, who has he explained. study by Harvard University scholars,* run IvoireBlog, a lively blogging platform Days later, after many other such post- Ushahidi has been the most comprehen- in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, since December ings, Ms. Okolloh, along with four young sive tool in gathering crisis-related infor- 2007. Having set up Abidjan Blog-camps, bloggers from Kenya, launched the web- mation in Kenya. The platform, the report site
April 2010 3 a training seminar in which bloggers from From Kenya to the world Revolutionary changes around the country regularly share views Since Ushahidi (which is also download- Long before this latest trend, Africans and experiences, Mr. Kouamouo believes able software) was designed to be used have been using new technologies for that African bloggers are walking in the by ordinary people, allowing users to various purposes with positive results, steps of independent media outlets that report an incident by filling in a very including in business, health care, dis- tance learning and banking (see Africa Renewal, January 2008 and April 2008). According to the latest African Eco- nomic Outlook report of the industrial- ized countries’ Organization for Eco- nomic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the increasing use of informa- tion and communication technologies (ICTs) in Africa is helping to sustain parts of the African economy during these times of economic turbulence. The recent use of such technologies in the political field is taking place amidst rev- olutionary technological changes across the continent. Africa’s mobile phone industry is growing at twice the global rate, according to the International Telecommunications Union. “The mobile phone, easy to carry
laif/Redux / Christoph Goedan around, and whose infrastructure is cheaper to deploy, has led Africa’s revolution,” adds the OECD report. As major undersea cables are being laid off the east and west coasts of the continent, broadband Internet Non-governmental peace workers sharing information by cell phone to help monitor access is also expected to vastly improve, and prevent violence in the South African township of Soshanguve, near Pretoria. a fact that prompts some to predict an end to the “digital divide” — the gap between led the battle for free speech in the early simple form with a description of what those who have access to ICTs and those 1990s. “This is part of our efforts in build- happened and when it took place, it has who do not. ing a democratic society,” he explained to proven to be easily adaptable. The soft- Africa’s political bodies are striving to Africa Renewal. ware has been used to help rescue vic- catch up. In late January an African Union The similar site CongoBlog was tims in Haiti in the wake of a devastating (AU) summit took up the theme of ICT launched in the Democratic Republic of earthquake in January. It has also been links to development. Earlier, in 2007, the the Congo (DRC) by Cédric Kalonji, a used to monitor violence in the DRC, continental body adopted a science and young citizen journalist from Kinshasa. South Africa and Gaza. technology plan of action and asked the He too aims at providing better access to In addition, Ushahidi has helped people UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural the public sphere for young Congolese. to use cell phones and the Internet to track Organization (UNESCO) to help. Talks are CongoBlog has lately come to function the availability of medicines in pharmacies being held among the OECD, UNESCO like a news agency, with correspondents in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia. and the World Bank, while UNESCO is based in all regions of the country. The platform allows ordinary people supporting a review of science, technol- Speaking to Africa Renewal, Ms. to report vote tallies as they are com- ogy and innovation in 20 African coun- Okolloh of Ushahidi notes that in the digi- piled. Cuidemos el Voto, an independent tries. Under the AU’s New Partnership for tal arena “the barriers to entry are gener- online mapping project in Mexico, used Africa’s Development (NEPAD), all pri- ally lower and the space more open” than Ushahidi to monitor the last federal elec- mary and secondary schools are to become with traditional media. Her colleague Mr. tions. So did Vote Report India, a collab- “e-schools,” with computers, software Hersman concurs. “Technology is one orative citizen-driven election monitor- and Internet access, by 2025 (see Africa of the few ways that young Africans can ing initiative, for the 2009 Indian general Renewal, April 2007). bypass the inefficiencies in the system that elections. Ironically, in February people All these are welcome developments, allow the status quo to hold on,” he says. in Washington, DC, the US capital, relied notes Ushahidi’s Ms. Rotich. Africa, she “It lowers the barriers to entry for every- on the Kenyan software to help organize concludes, “should invest in its brilliant one to get involved and be heard.” snow removal during a massive storm. minds and encourage its entrepreneurs.” n
4 April 2010 Millennium Development Goals: time to step up Some progress in Africa, but more is needed, argues UN Secretary-General
By André-Michel Essoungou HIV-positive women receiving treatment elected a majority of women (56 per cent) ome might view the United Nations’ for prevention of mother-to-child trans- to its lower chamber of parliament. latest update on progress towards mission of HIV increased fivefold to 45 Yet five years before the 2015 deadline S the Millennium Development Goals per cent between 2004 and 2008. Some for the MDGs, the report notes little prog- (MDGs) as a distressing catalogue of progress was recorded in child health. ress by most African countries on other unmet ambitions. Others could find in Since 2005, Rwanda decreased its rate of equally important targets. Overall, poverty it reasons to believe in the possibility of deaths among children under five by over and hunger are on the rise, unemployment reaching the targets. In reality, and gender inequality remain daunt- says a report by UN Secretary- ing challenges and too many women General Ban Ki-moon entitled lose their lives while giving birth. “Keeping the Promise,” there have From 1990 to 2005, extreme pov- been both successes and short- erty went up in Africa, affecting an falls. Therefore Mr. Ban is urging additional 36 million people. world leaders (expected at a UN The global recession has had a General Assembly Summit on the negative impact on labour markets all MDGs in September) to keep to over the world, and more people are their pledges to support economic unemployed in Africa as well. While and social progress for the world’s they represent an increasing propor- most vulnerable people. tion in the labour force, women often The MDGs are a set of eight receive lower wages than men. Their concrete, measurable objectives, access to reproductive health services adopted by world leaders in 2000 remains poor. With 123 births per and set to be achieved by 2015. 1,000 teenage girls, the adolescent In reviewing the situation birth rate in sub-Saharan Africa is the a decade after the goals were highest in the world.
adopted, the report notes that Africa Pirozzi Giacomo / Panos Looking at the successes and the is doing a lot right. Across the con- shortcomings, the Secretary-General tinent access to primary education cites three main hurdles to achiev- has increased massively, gains have ing the MDGs: unmet commitment, been made in fighting the AIDS inadequate resources and lack of epidemic and there have been huge focus and accountability. improvements in child health. “Large gaps” remain in commit- Sub-Saharan Africa recorded ments of official development assis- Although some countries have improved children’s health, the world’s fastest growth in pri- tance (ODA), writes the Secretary- the region still accounts for half of all under-five deaths worldwide. mary school enrolment in recent General. In July 2005, at its summit years, with enrolment rising from in Gleneagles, Scotland, the Group 58 per cent in 2000 to 74 per cent in 2007, 30 per cent, although sub-Saharan Africa of Eight industrial countries pledged to although it still lags behind other develop- as a whole still accounts for half of such contribute to Africa’s development efforts ing regions. A number of countries, includ- deaths worldwide. Between 1999 and by disbursing $63 bn annually by 2010. ing Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the 2004, the report adds, the region achieved But to reach the target, the report says, aid Congo, Burundi, Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi one of the largest reductions in deaths to the continent would need to increase by and Mozambique, abolished school fees from measles worldwide. $20 bn this year, a figure that is unlikely and brought millions of new primary Although there has been limited prog- to be reached. students into the classrooms (see Africa ress in the fight against hunger and gen- Not meeting the internationally agreed Renewal, January 2010). der inequality, some countries have had goals “would be an unacceptable failure, Years of awareness raising and cam- more positive results. From 2001 to 2007, moral and practical,” argues Mr. Ban. “If paigning have contributed to a decline Nigeria doubled food production. In we fail, the dangers in the world — insta- (by 25 per cent since the mid-1990s) in Ghana the number of people who suffer bility, violence, epidemics, diseases, envi- the annual number of new HIV infec- from undernourishment fell by 74 per cent ronmental degradation, runaway popula- tions in sub-Saharan Africa. The share of between 1991 and 2004. In 2008, Rwanda tion growth — will all be multiplied.” n
April 2010 5 Africa’s displaced people: out of the shadows African Union convention breaks new ground, but challenges await
By André-Michel Essoungou t was a departure they never had time to prepare for. Seeking to escape I death — sometimes amidst fighting between the Senegalese army and rebels in the southern region of Casamance — thousands fled their homes and aban- doned livestock and property. Over the past two decades many have resettled in successive waves in Ziguinchor, a major city in Casamance. Since then returning home has been an elusive dream. “We want to, but we McKulka Tim / Photo UN fear we might get killed,” Gabriel Tandar, an elder who fled after his village was attacked in 1991, told a Radio France Internationale reporter in December. Up to now their lives have gotten no better, he complained. “We have no jobs, nothing to do and we rely on others for our basic Civilians in Southern Sudan displaced by fighting: There are nearly 12 million internally displaced people needs. We cannot even go out there to look in Africa, but with less support and legal protection than refugees who cross borders. for firewood. We are afraid.” Mr. Tandar and thousands of others forced out of their homes while remaining laws by the 1951 UN Geneva Convention struggle with difficult living conditions, in their countries are known as internally Relating to the Status of Refugees and the they are often inefficiently supported by an displaced persons (IDPs). They are the for- 1969 Convention Governing the Specific array of agencies and actors. Some remain gotten victims of a protracted low-intensity Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. unassisted for extended periods and are conflict. Fear, loss, need and a dispiriting Under the Geneva Convention the inter- marginalized and vulnerable to human feeling of being in exile in their own land national community is obliged to protect rights violations. have been their lot for nearly two decades. and assist refugees, including with shelter, Their suffering is precisely what drove But these people are hardly the only food and medical help. The UN has a cen- 17 African countries to sign the African ones living through such an ordeal. Across tral institution dedicated to carrying out Union (AU) Convention on IDPs — also Africa nearly 12 million persons (almost that comprehensive mandate, the UN High known as the Kampala Convention, after half the world’s IDP population) share Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). the capital of Uganda where the treaty was the same plight, according to estimates Unlike refugees, IDPs do not enjoy the signed on 23 October 2009. If ratified, the by the United Nations and the Internal same support, be it legal or institutional. convention will fill this void in interna- Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), Instead a highly influential but not-legally- tional humanitarian law for Africa’s IDPs. the leading independent body on the issue, binding set of principles (known as the The Kampala Convention is an “his- which works closely with the UN.* guiding principles) serves as the main toric agreement aimed at protecting and There are fundamental differences international instrument for their protec- assisting our brothers and sisters, the between IDPs, whose displacement takes tion. Although these principles specify the internally displaced,” President Yoweri place within the borders of their country, standards (largely similar to those for refu- Museveni of Uganda told the press on sig- and refugees, who seek shelter in another gees) for the best response to the needs of nature day. country. Africa is home to around 3 mil- displaced people, no institution is required lion refugees protected under international to implement them. The primary respon- ‘A beacon of hope’ sibility for the protection of IDPs falls to By agreeing to the first legally binding * Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, their own government. continental treaty on IDPs, African lead- Internal Displacement: Global Overview of However, many states lack the capacity ers have taken a bold step in dealing with Trends and Developments in 2008, April or resources, and sometimes the political what former UN Secretary-General Kofi 2009. will, to assist IDPs adequately. As IDPs Annan once described as “one of the great
6 April 2010 tragedies of our time.” tween 10 million and 15 million,” writes Burundi the number went from 800,000 Potentially, the document has far-reach- Francis Deng, the first representative of in 1999 to 100,000 at the end of 2009. ing political implications. Governments the UN Secretary-General on IDPs, in According to the IDMC, the number of that sign it agree to shoulder primary a widely praised book co-authored with IDPs currently recorded in Africa is the responsibility for preventing forced dis- Roberta Cohen, a former scholar at lowest in a decade. placement, among other things by threat- the Brookings Institute in Washington, Yet over the past two years, three out ening prosecution of those responsible, D.C.** Such an alarming increase, the of five of the world’s largest internal dis- including non-state actors such as insur- authors add, prompted the Organization placement situations have still been in gent and rebel groups, private military of African Unity, which was superseded Africa. With 4.9 million displaced, Sudan contractors and multinational corpora- by the African Union in 2002, to affirm in has the largest reported IDP population, tions. It also obliges governments to assist 1994 that internal displacement is “one of victims of the conflict in the Darfur region IDPs and facilitate their resettlement after the most tragic humanitarian and human and the instability in Southern Sudan. An they have been forced to move. rights crises in Africa today.” estimated 2 million people are IDPs in the Under the convention, both govern- Since the mid-1990s the many wars in Democratic Republic of the Congo and ments and armed groups are required to the Great Lakes region (Burundi, Rwanda, some 1.3 million have been forced to flee protect and assist IDPs without any dis- Democratic Republic of the Congo, their homes in Somalia. In total, 19 African crimination in areas under their effective control, to assist local communities that host IDPs and to facilitate humanitarian organizations’ access to the displaced and delivery of relief supplies. Additionally, the treaty obliges gov- ernments to provide compensation for the harm suffered by persons as a result of their displacement. It calls for cooperation among governments, international organi- zations, humanitarian agencies and civil society organizations to protect IDPs.
According to Julia Joiner, the AU com- Munier Arpan / Photo UN missioner for political affairs, “This instru- ment clearly demonstrates that African leaders are conscious of the difficulties that displaced persons experience and are poised to do as much as possible to put an end to their suffering.” Walter Kälin, the UN Secretary- New African Union convention aims to improve the delivery of medical care General’s representative on IDPs, likened and other assistance to Africa’s internally displaced people. the Kampala Convention to “a beacon of hope for 12 million Africans.” In an interview with Africa Renewal, Mr. Kälin Uganda), West Africa (Liberia, Sierra countries confront problems of forced dis- underlines the fact that compared to the Leone, Côte d’Ivoire) and the Horn of placement resulting from conflict, general- UN-supported guiding principles on IDPs, Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia) have ized violence and human rights abuses. the AU treaty clarifies the responsibili- forced millions of people to flee their “Internally displaced communities ties of governments and other actors. Mr. homes, pushing some abroad but also dis- in African countries faced myriad risks, Kälin notes, however, that “we still have placing many within their own borders. due to immediate threats to their safety a long way to go until it has an impact on In recent years, as the number of con- in some cases, and long-term neglect in the ground.” flicts have declined, more IDPs have others,” notes the IDMC report. Rape and returned home. In Uganda, more than half sexual violence against women and girls, ‘Tragic crisis’ of the 1.8 million IDPs recorded in 2005 and the forced recruitment of children into As a result of protracted conflicts, massive had gone home by December 2009. In armed groups, are particularly insidious human rights violations and natural di- and widespread, adds the centre. sasters, internal displacement has reached ** Roberta Cohen and Francis Deng, Both the international community daunting proportions in Africa. “Between Masses in Flight: the Global Crisis of Internal and African governments have gener- 1969 and 1994 … the number of inter- Displacement, Washington: The Brookings nally displaced persons soared, to be- Institute, 1998. see page 21
April 2010 7 Even with peace, Liberia’s women struggle A conversation with activist Leymah Gbowee
By Michael Fleshman high for Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf, the first help of the United Nations and Liberia’s our years after voters in Liberia, woman to be elected an African head of development partners. battered by decades of dictatorship, state — and for the millions of women F economic ruin and civil war, elected across the continent who see her success Broadening horizons a no-nonsense former banker and UN or failure as their own. At first, Ms. Gbowee told Africa Re- official, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, as their Liberian peace activist Leymah newal, Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf’s appeal was president, the country is making slow Gbowee, who currently heads the West simply that she was not one of the men progress towards recovery. But there is African regional Women Peace and responsible for the war. “It was out of desperation. It is not that people had this belief in women. It was a feeling that ‘We’ve tried the men from top to bottom. Now let’s try something else’.” But since then, explains Ms. Gbowee, the president has attracted support because of her conduct in office. “I have grown to respect her ability to stand up in the face of immense criticism and try to do right for her country.” That is high praise from a founder and organizer of the grassroots Liberian wom- en’s peace movement. At the height of the fighting, Ms. Gbowee helped unite and mobilize thousands of Liberian women to protest the 14-year civil conflict and advo- cate for reconciliation. Excluded from internationally-sponsored peace nego-
Panos / Tim A. Hetherington tiations, the women nevertheless found ways to pressure the leaders of the war- ring factions and are widely credited with Since she was inaugurated in 2006 as Africa’s first elected female president, keeping the talks from collapsing. Those Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has been inspiring women across Liberia—and the continent. efforts were later chronicled in the award- winning documentary film Pray the Devil still a long way to go. Security Network–Africa, also sees Back to Hell.* Thousands of UN peacekeepers and President Johnson-Sirleaf as a trailblazer Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf’s presidency has police remain in the country to provide for African women more generally. opened new possibilities for Liberian security and train a new army and police Despite the many problems that faced women and girls, Ms. Gbowee notes. force. Poverty and unemployment are high Liberia on inauguration day in January “Take small-scale market women,” she among youth and the country’s 100,000 2006, Ms. Gbowee gives the president says. “In the past they only aspired to demobilized former fighters, fuelling con- generally high marks for her leadership. maybe go to Ghana to do some cross- cerns about stability. Government facilities The fragile peace that followed the 2003 border trading. Now they are taking loans and services, including health, education removal of former President Charles Taylor from the bank and going to China and and administration, were largely destroyed has held. The country’s shattered economy other places to buy their goods.” The fact in the fighting. Average income, while ris- is sputtering back to life as displaced people that a woman could be president, she says, ing, is among the lowest in the world: In have returned to their farms and businesses has broadened their horizons. 2009 the typical Liberian struggled to live and commerce has restarted. Schools, clin- Even her own nine-year-old daughter on the equivalent of just US$0.38 per day, ics and government offices have reopened, was inspired to challenge traditional gen- according to International Monetary Fund damaged infrastructure is under repair and (IMF) estimates. the government is seeking to reform state * For more information about the documentary It would be a daunting agenda for any institutions, speed economic recovery and Pray the Devil Back to Hell visit the website president. But the stakes are particularly promote national reconciliation with the
8 April 2010 der roles, Ms. Gbowee says, smiling. “Six question. There has been progress. School most recent MDG progress report, “the months after Ellen’s election, the elemen- fees were abolished in 2006, spurring an binding fiscal constraints that frame the tary school where she went had an election 82 per cent increase in primary school [IMF] programme will need to be relaxed [for class officers]. The children went out enrolments in just two years. Spending to facilitate increased production and and did their campaigning and they got on education reached 8.6 per cent of the access to basic socio-economic services.” elected. They had 12 elementary classes budget in 2008, second only to health as Liberia does have a good chance of and so you had 12 presidents — and 11 of the single largest budget line. achieving equal primary school enrolment them were girls! But according to a recent report on between boys and girls by 2015, another “This was the most amazing thing for progress towards the internationally MDG goal, because of the increase in me. When I was growing up girls aspired accepted Millennium Development Goals female attendance and the adoption of to be the chaplain or the treasurer of the (MDGs), which include universal primary girls’ education as a national priority by class. You really didn’t see them step- school enrolment by 2015, fewer than 40 the government in 2006. ping up to say, ‘I want to be president.’ per cent of Liberia’s children were enrolled But immediately after the election of this at the level appropriate to their age in 2007 Violent backlash woman, you had all these little girls say- (if older students enrolled in lower levels There are also signs of a violent back- ing, ‘If Ellen can be president, I want to be are counted, the overall enrolment rate is lash by some Liberian men, Ms. Gbowee another Ellen’.” about 86 per cent). It is unlikely that the asserts. “Initially there was a feeling country will reach full primary school among some of them that ‘The men have School enrolment surging enrolment by the 2015 target date. failed, lets give it to the women.’ But Since Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf’s inauguration, That is partly a legacy of the fighting. now you get ‘You people have had it for Ms. Gbowee explains, “You have high en- The government reports that more than four years. OK”.’ rolment rates of girls in school now.” It is a claim borne out by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Its most recent study of progress towards gender parity in education found that the ratio of girls to every 100 boys in Liberian primary schools rose from 74 in 1999 to 94 in 2007. “You also have high enrolment rates of women in adult literacy programmes,” Ms. Gbowee continues. “Most of them tell you, ‘By the end of this presidency in two or three years, I want to be able to write when I go to the bank and not use my thumb- print.’ So there is just this whole wave of UN / Christopher Herwig Christopher / UN things that women want to do. Some of these girls who never really thought about high school are now saying, ‘I want to go to college and be somebody’.” Even in the rural areas, where tradition and poverty often combine to keep girls from school, she explains, there is a new Since the end of the war and the election of a female president, many Liberian girls assertiveness and self-confidence. “We’ve have been encouraged to enroll in school and to broaden their horizons. done leadership projects with girls in three rural regions. In two of those regions the results were fantastic. The girls who com- 70 per cent of the nation’s schools were The country’s continuing high rates of pleted high school were looking for schol- damaged or destroyed during the conflict rape and sexual assault, she says, partly arships or going back to relatives and say- and that hundreds of thousands of stu- reflect that change in attitude. “We believe ing, ‘I have to go to university’.” dents were displaced. The country’s dire strongly that these are some of the back- financial circumstances are also slowing lashes for women getting overly empow- Progress and problems progress, as are the limits on government ered and really stepping out to do things Whether Liberia’s shattered education borrowing and spending that are part of an they never really ventured to do. So yes, system will be able to accommodate the agreement with the IMF. As the economy new aspirations, however, is an open improves, the government noted in its see page 21
April 2010 9 Africa defends democratic rule “Zero tolerance” for coups, constitutional violations
By Ernest Harsch ot long ago, Africa’s coup makers and autocrats felt confident they N could get a pass from their fel- low rulers elsewhere on the continent. In recent months, however, as military officers and authoritarian presidents from Guinea to Niger and Madagascar are discovering, Africa is saying “no” — and starting to mean it. In early February — as the crisis in Hetherington A. Tim / Panos Guinea finally seemed on the verge of a peaceful resolution, but yet another coup was looming in Niger — African lead- ers decided to step up the pressure. In a resolution on the prevention of “uncon- stitutional changes of government,” a 1–4 February summit of the African Union (AU) proclaimed a policy of “zero toler- Election in Liberia: The African Union is seeking to reinforce Africa’s shift towards democratic ance” for military coups and other viola- systems by taking firmer action against unconstitutional changes in government. tions of democratic standards. That stance is notable. For decades, respect constitutions,” the UN special rep- nity of West African States (ECOWAS) most African countries were ruled by resentative on West Africa, Said Djinnit, promptly condemned the coup and sus- military or one-party regimes. In response told Africa Renewal. “Whoever makes a pended Guinea from their activities. Do- to popular agitation, much of the conti- move that is unconstitutional should be mestically, however, the initial reactions nent shifted to multi-party systems in the condemned. And not only condemned, were less negative, since the new presi- 1990s, and coups became less common. but subject to sanctions.” (See interview, dent, Captain Dadis Camara, promised a Yet many of Africa’s newly elected lead- page 13.) democratic transition. ers were still reluctant to criticize their less “Africa has engaged genuinely on the But as months passed, it became evi- democratic peers. path of democracy,” asserts Mr. Djinnit, dent that the officers were settling into who was a key figure in the transformation power. Opposition parties responded with ‘Respect constitutions’ of the OAU into the AU before joining the street protests. Now that is changing, as the AU and other UN in 2008. But he also acknowledges that The situation turned tragic in African regional organizations move more progress along that road has not been easy September 2009 when soldiers, many systematically and firmly to uphold demo- or straightforward. Parliaments, political from the presidential guard, attacked a cratic values. The process has taken a parties, court systems, civil society orga- large opposition rally. The massacre cost decade to unfold. The AU’s predecessor, nizations and other institutions that could more than 150 lives. the Organization of African Unity (OAU), defend democratic practices remain weak. Facing domestic revulsion and strong first decided to reject military coups in For their part, Africa’s continental and outside condemnation, the junta experi- 1999. When the OAU transformed itself regional bodies are also struggling with enced rifts. Captain Camara was shot and into the AU in 2002, the new organiza- the question of how to uphold the prin- seriously wounded by his aide de camp tion’s founding Constitutive Act included ciples of democracy. The recent upheavals in December. With Mr. Camara out of the among its principles “condemnation and in Guinea, Niger and Madagascar high- country for medical treatment and his aide rejection of unconstitutional changes of light the challenges. in hiding, the junta’s de facto leadership government.” Yet at the outset the AU shifted to General Sékouba Konaté. The focused much of its practical work on Af- Opening in Guinea? general, who had not been in Guinea dur- rica’s many armed conflicts, and develop- In December 2008, just a day after the ing the massacre, took a conciliatory stance. ing ways to enforce its various democratic death of Guinea’s longtime strongman On 15 January there was a break- principles took time. Lansana Conté, the army took power. through. Captain Camara and General “Today the norm is that people should Both the AU and the Economic Commu- Konaté signed an agreement in which
10 April 2010 the captain promised to remain abroad. Niger: from one coup to another powers. In October ECOWAS suspended General Konaté pledged to consult The evolution of Niger’s crisis was dif- Niger, the AU demanded a return to the Guinea’s parties, unions and civil society ferent from that of Guinea’s. In Niger, previous constitutional order and several groups to prepare a democratic transition. the initial turn to unconstitutional rule key donors cut financial aid. Jean-Marie Doré, a long-time opposi- came from within an elected civilian re- Amidst a tense stalemate, military units tion leader, became prime minister. The gime. President Mamadou Tandja was detained Mr. Tandja and most of his cabi- presidency of the National Transition first elected in 1999, and then re-elected in net and assumed power on 18 February. Council, responsible for drawing up a new 2004, providing a decade of relative sta- They called their junta the Supreme constitution and electoral guidelines, went bility after years of coups and turbulence. Council for the Restoration of Democracy to Rabiatou Serah Diallo, head of the larg- According to Niger’s constitution, the (CSRD, by its French initials) and named est union federation and a woman with a president could serve a maximum of two Squad Leader Salou Djibo president. clear record of opposing repressive rule. five-year terms. So Mr. Tandja should Welcoming the military move as a pos- “Things have happened so fast,” Sydia have stepped down when his second term sible way out of Niger’s logjam, thousands Touré, another opposition leader, mar- expired in November 2009. But early that of citizens hit the streets to express their veled to reporters. He credited outside year he claimed that he needed a three- support for the new authorities. ECOWAS support for encouraging the process. “The year extension, prompting an outcry from and the AU condemned the coup on prin- pressure from the international community the opposition. The Constitutional Court ciple. But together with the UN, they also was very strong, and very fast. The hori- ruled that any change in the presidential promptly sent a joint delegation to Niger zon was closed very quickly.” term limit would be illegal. under the leadership of Mr. Djinnit to press So that pressure is kept up, Guinea Mr. Tandja reacted by arbitrarily the officers to follow through on their will remain suspended from the AU dissolving the court and the National pledges to restore democracy. until democracy is restored, says AU Assembly. Regarding this as a coup, the Within just a few days the CSRD had Commissioner for Peace and Security opposition, trade unions and civil society appointed a civilian prime minister and had Ramtane Lamamra. “One has to be care- groups organized large demonstrations begun consultations on a new constitution and preparations for elections. According to Mohamed Bazoum, an opposition party spokesman, “Our soldiers know the era of military regimes is over. There is always the risk they will try to stay in power, but we think the risk is minimal.” Seeking to reassure the sceptics, President Djibo signed into law a ban on any member of his junta or the transi- tional government running in an upcom- ing election. “The era of autocratic regimes,” he said, “is well and truly over in this country, which has no other wish but to be democratic.”
Impasse in Madagascar
Associated Press / Rebecca Blackwell The crisis in Africa’s island nation of Madagascar has persisted since early 2009, with repeated rounds of nego- After Niger’s former president tried to prolong his rule, provoking a political crisis, the military took power in February with promises to restore constitutionalism and democratic elections. tiations but, as of this writing, no clear resolution. It began when popular dis- satisfaction with the elected government ful not to rush to lifting sanctions.” and strikes. The AU expressed concern of President Marc Ravalomanana led to ECOWAS, at a summit meeting on and ECOWAS warned of possible eco- large street demonstrations. In the capital, 16 February, also weighed how to best nomic sanctions. Antananarivo, these were led by Mayor support Guinea’s still-fragile democratic But Mr. Tandja pushed ahead, arresting Andry Rajoelina, a rival of the president. transition — including how to press the many critics. With much opposition sup- Both sides called on the army to restore country’s armed forces to restructure. As pressed, a referendum approved his new order. In March the military decided to Mr. Djinnit told Africa Renewal earlier: constitution, extending his term by three back Mr. Rajoelina and the president fled “If you do not reform the army, you will years, allowing him to run for yet another the country. not be able to find a peaceful solution.” term and further expanding executive Most major donor nations refused to
April 2010 11 recognize Mr. Rajoelina’s administration. Madagascar seem relatively straight- wealth to manipulate elections and stay The AU regarded the former president’s forward: either soldiers took over or in office indefinitely. By 2005, 33 African removal as unconstitutional and suspended changed a regime, or a president arbi- constitutions contained provisions limiting Madagascar’s membership. So did the trarily scrapped a constitution in defiance the number of presidential terms. regional Southern African Development of existing institutions. But there are other Some leaders tried to modify those Community (SADC). cases in which violations of constitutional limits but were defeated by intense In coordination with the AU, SADC norms have been less clear or ruling par- domestic opposition. Some succeeded, took the lead in seeking to broker an agree- ties were accused of using repression or however, including in Chad, Cameroon ment. An initial deal was signed in Maputo, fraud to influence elections, as in Gabon, and the Congo Republic. Yet others set Mozambique, in August, in which the par- Togo and Zimbabwe. In such cases, other positive examples by stepping down ties of Mr. Rajoelina, Mr. Ravalomanana African leaders have not always agreed on when their terms expired, as in Ghana, and two other former presidents agreed to how to respond. Mali and Mozambique. establish a transitional government until Getting African governments and their In 2007, an AU summit approved new elections. institutions to fully and consistently pro- a new African Charter on Democracy, However, disagreements over the alloca- mote democratic norms and practices Elections and Governance. Once it comes tion of posts stalled further progress. Then remains “unfinished business,” acknowl- into force it will shift Africa further in the in December Mr. Rajoelina unilaterally dis- edges Mr. Djinnit. He recalls that the for- direction of “the universal values and missed the agreed-upon prime minister and mer OAU Secretariat proposed a resolu- principles of democracy and respect for replaced him with an army colonel. tion in 2000 to condemn military coups, human rights,” the charter’s first basic The AU summit in February con- as well as coups “from within,” in which objective. Among other provisions, it demned “the illegal regime” and expressed rulers undermine their own constitutions. recognizes “the supremacy of the consti- its continued support for SADC’s efforts. At the time, only the former was accepted. tution” and stipulates that any revisions of constitutions be based on “national consensus.” It also prohibits any “perpe- trators” of unconstitutional changes from participating in subsequent elections and even warns that coup makers may be tried before an African court. So far 29 African governments have signed the charter. But only three (Ethiopia, Mauritania and Sierra Leone) have rati- fied it, notably short of the 15 ratifications needed to bring it into force. The AU sum- mit in February appealed to all members to sign and ratify the charter “without delay.” A number of African pro-democ- racy activists and commentators have expressed scepticism about the ability of the continent’s official organizations to push forward on their own, noting that the gains so far have taken considerable popu-
Reuters / Siphiwe Sibeko lar mobilization. Given the number of sitting lead- Madagascar’s Andry Rajoelina (left) seized power with army backing. The African Union has imposed ers in Africa who have violated basic sanctions against his government for failing to implement a compromise with the opposition. democratic norms, commented Adama Ouédraogo Damiss in L’Observateur Paalga, an independent daily in Burkina The following month the AU Peace and One common target of constitutional Faso, “One can legitimately ask whether Security Council imposed travel sanctions manipulation has been the presiden- the AU is really able to face up to this against Mr. Rajoelina and other members tial term limit. According to H. Kwasi repeated problem of constitutional of his government. Prempeh, a Ghanaian expert in constitu- fiddling.” In West Africa, remarked tional law, the adoption of such limits was Senegalese economist Mamadou Ndione, ‘Unfinished business’ an important gain for Africa’s pro-democ- a democratic revolution will not likely As unconstitutional changes of govern- racy movements, designed to prevent come from official bodies like ECOWAS. ment, the cases of Guinea, Niger and incumbents from using their power and “It must come from the people.” n
12 April 2010 ‘Stability is based on democracy’ Interview with Said Djinnit, UN representative on West Africa
Said Djinnit has been the UN Secretary-General’s special representative and head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA) since February 2008. He brings to his position a long record of promoting democracy and seeking to resolve armed conflicts in Africa. Mr. Djinnit, a seasoned Algerian diplomat, first joined the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1989, as director of the secretary-general’s cabinet. In that capacity he played a key role in shaping the body’s work on peace and security, democracy and human rights and in establishing the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution. In 1999 he was elected the OAU’s assistant secretary-general for political affairs, participating in the elabo- ration of the organization’s declaration on “unconstitutional changes of government” and Filgueiras Paulo / Photo UN heading the task force that drafted the Constitutive Act of the new African Union (AU). With the transformation of the OAU into the AU in 2002, he became commissioner for peace, security and political affairs, a post he held until joining the UN. Now based at UNOWA’s offices in Dakar, Senegal, Mr. Djinnit visited UN headquarters in New York in January for the Secretary-General’s presentation of a report on the work of his office. During that visit, he shared with Africa Renewal his thoughts on Africa’s efforts to manage its political turbulence.
The Secretary-General’s January report Declaration. It set out how we should But formally, Africa’s institutions con- on the work of your UN Office for West respond to unconstitutional changes in gov- demned the coup. ECOWAS condemned Africa refers to a worrying increase in ernment. From there, we took it higher and it, the African Union condemned it. And unconstitutional changes in power in the higher. The peak was the launching of the Guinea has been under sanctions until region, including in Guinea and Niger. African Union in Durban in 2002. now. All countries have agreed on these The African Union and the Economic So from 1999 to 2002 there was very norms and values. But their national insti- Community of West African States speedy progress in putting in place institu- tutions at home are not strong enough to (ECOWAS) have both condemned those tions, norms and values to bring together prevent coups. moves, although not too long ago it was countries not just because they are united Take Niger. It has agreed to these norms less common to hear such criticisms from geographically, as one continent, but and values. Because of the background African leaders. Do you see progress in because they share common values. of Niger — with very violent coups and the way African governments are coming What we are seeing now [with the counter-coups before 1999, but then stabil- to grips with these kinds of undemocratic recent unconstitutional changes] is a kind ity after that — the government of Niger changes in neighbouring countries? of setback, a sliding back. Why? Because was one of those that pushed strongly for institutions are not strong enough to sustain this new set of democratic values. But the What I consider huge progress in Africa that progress. It’s like when you put up a institutions there were not able to prevent is the fact that today the norm is that peo- new building. If you haven’t consolidated what happened subsequently in the coun- ple should respect constitutions, and that the first phase, it’s difficult to go forward try. Yet ECOWAS has still condemned that, whoever makes a move that is unconsti- with the second level of your building. The and Niger is under ECOWAS sanctions. tutional should be condemned. And not institutions are not strong enough to sustain only condemned, but subject to sanctions. that. Africa has engaged, genuinely, on the In 2008 there was a military coup in That’s big progress. path of democracy, based on multi-party Mauritania, and the AU and ECOWAS Africa made very speedy progress systems. That is now the norm in West both condemned it. But a year later the between 1999 and 2002. Every year, some- Africa, basically. It’s just that the actors, the same general who led the coup organized thing happened. It involved a combination institutions involved are not strong. elections, in which he won the presidency. of forces, African people, civil society and Since most African and other foreign leadership. It started at the Algiers summit The African Union has said that mili- observers judged that the elections were [of the Organization of African Unity] in tary coups cannot stand. But when Dadis transparent, he gained international rec- 1999, when for the first time the leaders Camara carried out his coup in Guinea ognition. Doesn’t that send a signal that formally said that we should not accept this in 2008, not all African governments con- if a coup maker can just hold on and go phenomenon of the coup d’état anymore. demned it. Some in the region suggested through a process of elections, he’ll be OK? One year later, at the summit in Togo, the giving him time, to see how it goes. That OAU Secretariat proposed a draft docu- didn’t turn out well, as we saw with the You know, the mistake that can be done ment which was adopted as the Lomé massacre of September 2009. is to consider that since we have this rule,
April 2010 13 it will apply automatically, everywhere stand for election. But that was just a res- Actually, in the case of Guinea it will be and every time. I remember when the Af- olution, and it was never included in the easier. This is a country which has not rican Union put forward the programme [summit] document of 2000. So we have gone through an open conflict and a peace- of NEPAD, with very far-reaching prin- no legal basis to prevent anyone from keeping process, but it has gone through ciples, and everybody in the West was standing in an election. serious tensions and incidents of violence. very happy because this new thinking is In Guinea, it’s only out of political con- Everybody, including the junta leadership, close to European values, it’s very liberal. siderations that we are saying that Dadis fully recognizes that the key problem in But then they said, hey, now we have to Camara cannot stand. We have no legal Guinea is the army and that the defence handle the case of Zimbabwe. It’s not basis to stop anybody from standing. But institutions need to be reorganized and re- because you said you’re willing to address we do have moral and political reasons, formed. They are saying that if you do not the issues of governance, that you are whenever we can. The political appre- reform the army, you will not be able to ready to face the first challenge the next ciation could differ from one situation to find a peaceful solution. Not the other way day. It’s like you want to go to the gym another. You could have a different appre- around, to have a peace agreement and to be fit. And the next day they give you ciation of the situation in Mauritania and then undertake an SSR exercise. So there 30 kilos and say carry these 30 kilos. But of the situation in Guinea. In Mauritania, is a consensus, internationally and nation- I just started doing gym. Give me some if he takes it through clean elections that ally, of the need for SSR. time to build my capacity so I can carry 5 are open, transparent, under the supervi- kilos, and then 6 and 7. Then hopefully I sion of international observers, who are Guinea seems to be a very clear case, an will come to your 30 kilos. we to stop him? outright military coup followed by serious Secondly, we tried to put forward the repression. In Niger there was an open rift principle that whoever has made a coup With a political transition now under way between the president on the one hand, and should not be able to stand for election. in Guinea, there have also been discus- the Constitutional Court and the National We tried. I know this question very well. sions about initiating reform of its army Assembly on the other. But there are other cases that are grayer. In some countries there are dominant ruling parties that have amended the constitution to change or eliminate presidential term limits, to allow the incumbent to stay in power. Is that something that can be addressed?
It’s all unfinished business. In 2000 the OAU Secretariat proposed a declaration to be adopted by the summit on how to re- spond to unconstitutional changes of gov- ernment. Our document had two pillars. The first pillar was the reaction to a coup by a soldier who comes from outside, re- moves whoever is there and says, “I’m in charge.” The other coup was the one done from within, by undermining the constitu- tion, blocking institutions from allowing
Reuters / Luc Gnago for democratic life. Unfortunately, that aspect of the document was not accepted Women cry after identifying the body of a relative killed during an army massacre of protesters in Guinea: in 2000 at the Lomé summit. Reforming the Guinean military is a vital element in that country’s political transition. So at the Secretariat we said, OK, let’s build on our one pillar. With mem- ber states, you need to build confidence. When I was assistant secretary-general and other security institutions. But else- You cannot ask them for everything. They of political affairs of the OAU, we had a where in Africa it seems that the most will not accept it. They need to be reas- meeting of the Central Organ — it was serious security sector reform (SSR) pro- sured that they can cope. Unfortunately, like the Peace and Security Council estab- grammes have been in countries emerging that work was not pursued after 2003. For lished after 2003 in the African Union, out of war, where peacekeeping missions the AU, the legal ground is limited. But but not as effective — and we adopted a can help push it along. In a country like ECOWAS has some legal ground. The resolution in which we stated that whoever Guinea, how do you build up the political Protocol on Governance of ECOWAS is responsible for a coup d’état should not momentum for security sector reform? condemns any review of a constitution
14 April 2010 which is not done consensually. That was the case in Niger. So this is work in prog- ress. We are in a spirit of testing the new values to move further.
The AU, ECOWAS and other African insti- tutions are all for democracy. But in some countries there remain serious threats to peace and stability. Some have argued that in such cases restoring or maintain- ing peace should take precedence, that if you have war, then little else is possible. Is there validity to that view?
Absolutely. Africa is struggling with
a series of dilemmas. It wants peace. O’Reilly Finbarr / Reuters It wants development. It wants peace. It wants democracy. It wants peace. It wants justice. Sometimes, these princi- ples could contradict each other. If at any time there is a choice to be made, Africa will always choose first and foremost peace. Peace and stability will always Soldiers beating a civilian in Togo: Many African countries still do not have strong institutions prevail over other things. Not because for defending democracy and citizens’ participation. they don’t like the other things. But they have no option. Every African wants to have something to eat. But to have some- into place institutions for economic gover- what the state can do, that real transforma- thing to eat, you have to be assured that nance, you need stability, not necessarily tion can be made only by the people. you can survive and live. If you give me democracy. Even in undemocratic coun- Women have been imprisoned in their development but you take my life, what tries, as long as stability is there, they can countries. They are a huge reservoir of tal- is there? do business. But stability is also related to ent and imagination, and a force for peace. democracy. Stability, long-lasting stability, So releasing the energies of women in But once peace has been restored, what is based on democracy. Africa will be a big part of the process of are the next priorities: political stability, social enhancement and improvement. economic recovery, social reform? Are One of the key reforms that many people they distinct tasks, or do they go together? highlight is women’s empowerment. In The report on UNOWA’s work in West some countries, like Liberia, we have seen Africa highlights other emerging prob- It’s always related. It is difficult to say enormous advances at the political level. lems, such as drug trafficking, terror- that you should do this before you do But progress in social areas seems more ism and so on. Doesn’t dealing with that. But doing that without doing this difficult. What do you think of this issue? those issues in the long term come back will not be easy either. It will be very to addressing the same “root causes” difficult one day to conduct reforms, There is a general problem of empow- that have been identified as fueling con- and then the next day you have a coup. ering the people of Africa, giving a flict, such as youth unemployment and Propitious political conditions will help chance to the people of Africa to make social injustice? address the real problems of economic a difference, including women. Women development, and this is the biggest chal- have been purposely marginalized. Oth- Absolutely. It goes inevitably to the root lenge after having restored peace. At the ers have been marginalized, but women causes of the problem. You mentioned African Union, we invested much in pre- have been further marginalized. So it’s them: poverty, and then governance. The venting conflicts, which is very difficult, a general problem of empowering, of little resources we have are not prop- or in managing them. At least Africa, for giving a chance to the people to improve erly managed and governed. The real a change, is being seen as addressing its their lives. challenge to peace and stability is gov- own problems. Initially, after independence, the think- ernance, political and economic gov- But be careful. The biggest problem is ing in Africa was that the state is there to ernance, so that the people feel that the not only peace. It is governance — politi- do everything. But that is over. The people power is fairly shared and that the re- cal and economic governance. For putting have understood that there is a limit to sources are also fairly shared. n
April 2010 15 A ‘crisis in waiting’ for AIDS patients Trade rules will make it harder to get cheap generic medicines
By Michael Fleshman that are already standard in Europe and treatments, which patients eventually will even years after an agreement at the North America. Because of serious side need, can cost 27 times more. World Trade Organization (WTO) to effects with the specific combination of The UK’s All Parliamentary Group on S allow developing countries to import medicines now commonly used in Africa, AIDS noted in July 2009 that the need for inexpensive copies of costly patented Ms. Maclean argues that there is already an more expensive medicines makes it vital medicines, the compromise has failed to urgent need to switch to the European and to keep drug costs low. But the group also deliver on its promise as a pharmaceuti- North American version. But that version observed that competition among generics cal lifeline for the global poor. manufacturers, “the most important Since the 2003 compromise was factor in reducing prices” in the reached, just a single shipment past, “is unlikely to be possible” of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), because of global patent rules — the only effective treatment for creating a “treatment time bomb” HIV infection, has been delivered in poor countries. under its terms. With upwards of 55 million Finding a fix people expected to need ARV The 2003 agreement, reached after therapy by the year 2030, health nearly two years of hard negotia- experts warn that global patent tions at the WTO, was designed to rules are contributing to a looming create a loophole in the interna- “time bomb” as current drugs lose tional rules governing medicine their effectiveness and their newer, patents. These rules are known as patented replacements are priced Trade Related Aspects of Intel- out of reach of all but the wealthy. lectual Property Rights, or TRIPS Unless the system is fixed, ana- in WTO parlance. TRIPS grant lysts caution, the flow of affordable patent holders a 20-year monop- life-saving generic medicines to oly on their creations, but allows the world’s poorest could slow to a governments to override those trickle and millions of lives — most protections under some circum- of them African — will be lost. Akena James / Reuters stances through the issuance of a “compulsory licence” to a local Higher costs on the horizon manufacturer to make copies of The reason nearly 3 million Afri- patented products without the pat- cans are now on ARV therapy is ent owner’s permission. that the drugs are available for as Because TRIPS allowed coun- little as $80 per patient per year, tries to issue compulsory licences Emi Maclean, a treatment access A laboratory technician at an HIV/AIDS institute in Uganda: Health only for domestic use, however, professionals are worried that international patent laws will make it officer for the non-governmental countries without local drug-manu- harder for poor patients to obtain inexpensive generic medicines. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), facturing industries, including 37 in tells Africa Renewal. This com- Africa, were unable to use compul- pares with an annual cost of over $10,000 is “two to three times more expensive.” sory licences to keep medicines affordable. when the patented treatments were first The problems will mount further as the The 2003 exemption allowed poor developed. The price drop, she says, was HIV virus develops resistance to the drugs countries to import generic drugs made caused by fierce competition from Indian now being given. MSF treatment pro- under compulsory licences in other WTO generics manufacturers who were free to grammes in Africa report that about 15 per member states provided a number of steps copy the drugs under Indian law. cent of their patients are already showing were followed. These included advance But that is about to change. With signs of drug resistance, Maclean explains. notification by the importer of the type and Indian patent laws now compliant with the They will risk death unless they are moved quantity of drugs ordered, and mandatory WTO’s strict patent rules, she notes, it will to second-line treatments, which are 8-12 changes in the shape, colour or packaging be much harder to produce cheap generic times more expensive than the current reg- of the products to distinguish them from versions of newer, more effective ARVs imen in Africa. Even more advanced ARV the patented versions.
16 April 2010 Complex and cumbersome Many non-governmental medical groups and anti-AIDS activists immediately criti- cized the agreement as unworkable. They argued that the need for prior notification exposed the importing coun- tries to political and economic pressure from donors, multinational drug compa- nies and trading partners opposed to the use of compulsory licences. The adoption of an order-by-order approach, MSF said in a 2006 analysis, prevented generics sup- pliers from achieving economies of scale Ngwenya Juda / Reuters through mass production. Mandeep Dhaliwal, head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) HIV/ AIDS Human Rights and Gender Division, echoed such concerns. “What’s the point of having ‘flexibilities’ in the rules if they’re too complicated to use?” she asks Africa Renewal. The question, she contin- An AIDS patient with life-saving medicines in South Africa: Over time, those on anti-retroviral ues, is what to do about it. “Re-opening therapy will develop resistance to existing drugs, requiring them to switch to newer the agreement at the WTO may not be the and potentially costlier treatments. strategic thing to do. We could end up with a worse agreement than we have now.” Tenu Avafia, a UNDP specialist on intel- fect. Canada can make its own legislation rently written, we will not use it again.” lectual property and AIDS, agrees. He notes more workable.” Legislation that Mr. Elliott and other that powerful commercial interests often The requirement that companies have advocates say would streamline the laws exert great influence on their governments’ a firm order before seeking a compulsory has been introduced in parliament and positions at the WTO. The 2003 deal was licence was one problem, Mr. Elliott says. could be debated as early as mid-year. “not an easy mechanism in the first place, This meant that governments had to place Not everyone agrees that the legis- but it is the mechanism we have.” an order without knowing if the licence lation needs fixing. Russell Williams, would be granted. Provisions that require president of Canada’s Research-Based Canada tests TRIPS new licences for each order, he notes, “are Pharmaceutical Companies, an industry For this reason advocates are watching user-unfriendly. This is not how govern- trade group, tells Africa Renewal that with keen interest Canada’s efforts to make ments buy drugs. Nor is it how the phar- delays in filling Rwanda’s order were the TRIPS compromise effective. Canada maceutical industry operates.” unrelated to either WTO or Canadian was among only a handful of countries to Licensing requirements, moreover, rules. “The law has worked once. So we amend its laws to allow local companies “need to be commercially viable and know it can work again,” Mr. Williams to export drugs under the 2003 accord. administratively straightforward,” Mr. argues, although Apotex’s Dr. Clark dis- Dubbed the Jean Crétien Pledge to Africa Elliott says. “At the moment countries are putes that claim. after the then prime minister, the enabling looking at the legislation and asking, ‘Why With virtually all major drug-exporting legislation was passed in 2004 and became should we jump through all these hoops?’” countries now in compliance with TRIPS, law the following year. Dr. Bruce Clark, the vice president of the MSF’s Ms. Maclean observes, making Canada is also the only country to actu- Apotex, told Africa Renewal that his com- the 2003 exemption viable could be a mat- ally ship an order of medicine under the pany encountered many difficulties with ter of life and death for millions. agreement’s terms, an order of ARVs from the Canadian legislation. For example, “We see a closing window of opportu- the Canadian generics company Apotex to Apotex’s effort to obtain voluntary licences nity for drug access unless major changes the Rwandan government. from the patent holders before applying are made,” Ms. Maclean argues. “You But according to Richard Elliott, exec- for the compulsory licence, as required by really have a crisis in waiting — not just on utive director of the non-governmental Canadian law, lasted more than a year and HIV/AIDS, but for all the diseases whose Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the was finally unsuccessful. On balance, Dr. medications are priced out of reach because process revealed flaws in Canada’s leg- Clark says, the steps needed to produce of patent barriers.… The needs are tremen- islation. “They started with an imperfect drugs for export under the law “are simply dous, and there will be real human conse- model at the WTO and made it less per- too difficult and complicated. As it is cur- quences if those needs are not met.” n
April 2010 17 Africa’s disabled will not be forgotten People with disabilities fight for services, rights, dignity
By Stanley Kwenda Harare investment in this area. This constituency There are an estimated 1.4 million peo- has not been taken seriously,” he says. ple living with disabilities in Zimbabwe, asimba Kuchera was born blind. Most of the obstacles facing people with according to Progressio, an international He struggled through primary and disabilities involve public amenities, edu- charity working to eradicate poverty. The M secondary school and university cation and information. “Access to public United Nations estimates that the total to become an information specialist, and transport, buildings and public gatherings number of people with disabilities in now works for the Students’ Solidarity is very difficult,” says Mr. Kuchera. “The Africa is approximately 80 million.
‘Useless liabilities’? In the streets of Harare hundreds of dis- abled people beg for alms. Most do so in dirty clothes, in makeshift wheelchairs or on crutches, while the less fortunate drag themselves on their hands and knees. Most were previously cared for in special homes, including the Jairos Jiri Centre, Copota School, Danhiko and the Chinyaradzo Children’s Home. Such insti- tutions used to get financial support from the government and the corporate world, but the economic decline that began in Zimbabwe in 2000 made life in the homes difficult and forced most residents to opt for life on the streets. “The government has forgotten the disabled people,” laments Mr. Kuchera. “Nothing was mentioned in the country’s 2010 budget. There are no projects or pro- UN / Christopher Herwig grammes whatsoever for disabled people.” Those with disabilities also seem to The United Nations, as part of a “peace day” celebration in Liberia, organized a soccer match among confront an uncaring society. When they amputees: All people with disabilities have a right to participate actively in society. approach members of the public for help in starting market gardening, dressmaking or music projects, they are regarded as a nui- Trust, a non-governmental organization infrastructure is not user-friendly. I cannot sance. The general feeling is that the only striving to protect students’ rights. operate an elevator on my own and there places for a disabled person are in the street Although he feels a sense of achieve- are no Braille guides. It’s even worse for or in front of a church, begging. The situa- ment in his own personal life, he remains those using wheelchairs, because ramps do tion is worse in rural areas, where children saddened by the fact that many others in not exist in this part of the world.” with disabilities are usually confined to his situation will not be able to realize their Mr. Kuchera is a member of the the house because of long-held traditional dreams, or even go to school. “There are National Disabled Council, an organiza- beliefs that they are curses from God. very few government schools that cater for tion working for the rights of the disabled. “Society views disabled people as use- children with disabilities. I wonder how He also belongs to the Southern African less liabilities that have no role to play in many disabled people are in school right People’s Solidarity Network, a coalition society,” says Gladys Charowa, a single now,” Mr. Kuchera asks. of civil society groups fighting for social mother who was left wheelchair-bound Most schools that admit people with and economic rights in Southern Africa. by a 2001 car accident. She is a found- disabilities are funded by churches, Mr. He decided to join these groups because ing member and executive director of the Kuchera told Africa Renewal, while many they give him an opportunity to fight for Disabled Women Support Organization, a disabled children in Zimbabwe simply the rights of people with disabilities in group that focuses on helping women and do not go to school. “There is not much Zimbabwe and the region. girls with disabilities.
18 April 2010 Discrimination and abuse Robert Mugabe. ourselves on the peripheries of political Because of the prevalent social attitudes While Mr. Malinga himself wields agendas.” towards people with disabilities, Ms. Cha- some political influence, most people In several Southern African countries rowa says, they often face discrimination. with disabilities do not. “The quality there has been some progress, Mr. Malinga In Zimbabwe, women with disabilities ex- of life of disabled people in Africa is pointed out. In Namibia, all government perience especially severe discrimination. pathetic because disability has not been ministries have been instructed to integrate A 2004 report by Save the Children mainstreamed,” Mr. Malinga told Africa disability issues into their work, while in Norway found that sexual abuse of chil- Renewal. “Disabled people are not repre- South Africa the Ministry of Women, dren with disabilities is increasing in sented in parliaments, in organs of deci- Children and People with Disabilities Zimbabwe, and that 87.4 per cent of girls sion-making, even on issues that concern takes up their concerns. with disabilities had been sexually abused. them. Governments do not plan with the In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Labour Approximately 48 per cent of these girls disabled in mind.” and Social Welfare is responsible for the were mentally challenged, 15.7 per cent Asked why he has failed to convince his needs of the disabled. “We have a big had hearing impairments and 25.3 per cent party — which has been at the forefront of responsibility as a government,” says had visible physical disabilities. Of those Zimbabwean politics for the past 30 years Paurina Mpariwa, the minister. She adds, who had been sexually abused, 52.4 per — to lift up the lives of the disabled, he however, that “at the moment we have cent tested positive for HIV. said that he is trying, “both in parliament serious financial problems that limit us To make matters worse, access to coun- and in my party. That’s why I have mixed from adequately addressing the needs of seling, testing and treatment is severely my international advocacy work with poli- the disabled people. But we are aware of limited. Health personnel often display tics. The tragedy is that as disabled people, their situation.” biased attitudes towards people with dis- we are very few in numbers and often find Mr. Malinga insists, “We want disabled abilities, while there is no information on HIV/AIDS in Braille and staff are unable to use sign language. UN defends rights of people with disabilities
Fighting for enforcement Over 650 million people are estimated to be living with disabilities globally, of whom more Although the Zimbabwean government is than 500 million are in developing countries. To help protect their rights, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in December among many in Africa that have not rati- 2006. The convention and an additional optional protocol are intended to promote, protect fied the UN Convention on the Rights of and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for Persons with Disabilities (see box), it has all persons with disabilities. enacted some legislation to protect their Article 3 of the convention establishes general principles for its implementation. Among rights. The Disabilities Act is intended to them are respect for everyone’s inherent dignity and the freedom to make their own choices, benefit those living with disabilities, while full participation in society, acceptance of people with disabilities as part of human diversity, the constitution prohibits discrimination. access to transportation and information, and equal opportunity. It also cites the rights of But such laws exist largely on paper, and people with disabilities, including: generally are not enforced. • equality before the law • life, liberty and security of the person A number of groups lobby the gov- • freedom from torture, exploitation, violence and abuse ernment to recognize the rights of the • freedom of movement and nationality disabled and fight for the existing laws • respect for privacy to be enforced. One such organization is • access to education and health care Disabled People’s International. • work and an adequate standard of living, and Joshua Malinga, who is wheelchair- • participation in cultural, political and public life. bound, is a founding member. He has The convention does not explicitly define “disability.” However, the preamble states that been a disability activist since 1980, trav- “disability is an evolving concept” that “results from the interaction between persons with elling widely in that capacity and hold- impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers” that hinder their full, effective and equal participation in society. ing leadership positions in Zimbabwe, Compliance with the convention is monitored internationally by a Committee on the Rights regionally and internationally. He has of Persons with Disabilities. The committee reviews reports submitted by signatory govern- participated in and promoted research on ments and also has the authority to examine individual complaints and conduct inquiries in the status of disabled people, and holds a countries that have ratified the optional protocol. master’s degree in disability studies from Another legal instrument under the convention is the Conference of State Parties, which the University of Cape Town, in neigh- meets periodically to discuss the convention’s implementation. The convention and its bouring South Africa. He also belongs to optional protocol are supported by a joint secretariat, consisting of staff from the UN Depart- the Political Bureau of Zimbabwe’s rul- ment of Economic and Social Affairs in New York and the Office of the High Commissioner for ing party, the Zimbabwe African National Human Rights in Geneva. — Marian Aggrey Union–Patriotic Front, led by President
April 2010 19 issues to be discussed as part of the budget- munity’s Millennium Development Goals persons in all areas of life, from educa- ing process. We want the issues to be made (MDGs), the world’s blueprint for reducing tion, training and employment to physical a national agenda.” He welcomed the adop- poverty and making other improvements in access and health care. It also is intended tion of the UN Convention on the Rights people’s well being by 2015. to promote the creation of an environment of Persons with Disabilities, and other that will advance the economic well-being external initiatives, including UN-funded Some bright spots of disabled people and enable them to projects that have provided furniture and Across Africa many governments cite fi- function better. learning equipment to schools and centres nancial constraints as an impediment to After taking office in January 2009, attended by disabled people. promoting the rights of the disabled. But President John Atta Mills initiated a “But being disabled is a permanent there have been some successes and im- series of face-to-face meetings with per- state which needs permanent solu- sons with disabilities. The discus- tions,” Mr. Malinga argues. And sions led to the establishment of those solutions “can only come the National Council of Persons from our governments.” with Disabilities. The authorities also are seek- Regional and continental ing to disseminate the Disability initiatives Act of 2006 more widely, includ- In a number of countries in South- ing in electronic form. In June ern Africa there are non-govern- 2009, for example, Minister of mental organizations that agitate Education Alex Tettey-Enyo for the welfare of disabled people, launched the act’s electronic some focusing on those with spe- version in Akropong in the cific needs, such as the blind, deaf, Eastern Region. With funding paralyzed or mentally ill. Most from the Danish International groups challenge governments to Development Agency, the act was implement policies for the rights produced in English and local lan- of the disabled. guages such as Ga, Ewe and Twi. One such group in Zimbabwe Most recently, the govern- is the National Association of ment has decided to incorporate Societies for the Care of the disability issues into the coun- Handicapped (NASCOH). “We Hammond Robin / Panos try’s national budget. Minister of want disability to be mainstreamed Finance and Economic Planning in every government department, Kwabena Duffour announced function and parliament,” argues in parliament on 19 November Farai Mukuta, NASCOH’s director. 2009 that his government will The African Union (AU) give all children with disabilities agrees. The continental body has free education. The government developed a Plan of Action for With very little assistance available, many disabled people had previously established spe- Disabled People. Among other have few options but to beg on the streets. cial schools for the disabled in all things, the plan recognizes the need regions of the country. to integrate people with disabilities “The political will has always into society, and to empower and involve provements, including in Burkina Faso, existed in Ghana,” commented Aida Sarr, them in the formulation and implementa- Senegal and Togo. a communications and programmes officer tion of social and economic development Ghana is a shining example. It is esti- at the Secretariat of the Africa Decade of policies. It urges governments to allocate mated that about 1.8 million Ghanaians Persons with Disabilities, headquartered in sufficient funds to ministries and depart- — about 5 per cent of the total popula- neighbouring Togo. ments dealing with people with disabili- tion — are in some fashion disabled, with But political will is sorely needed in ties and to establish national committees problems of sight, hearing and speaking in most other African countries, despite to coordinate all disability issues and the lead. the existence of an international con- include people with disabilities in their In 2006 Ghana’s parliament passed the vention, the proclamation of an annual national programmes. National Disability Act, intended to ensure International Day of Persons with The plan proclaimed 1999–2009 the that people living with disabilities enjoy Disabilities (on 3 December) and other African Decade of Disabled Persons. But the same rights as the able-bodied. The programmes. People with disabilities still activists want this period to be extended, to act offers a legal framework to protect the face discrimination and receive little sup- match the timeline of the international com- rights of physically and mentally disabled port across much of Africa. n
20 April 2010 Displaced people the numerous challenges it will face. First IDPs has been difficult because national from page 7 is the challenge of ratification. To come authorities have refused to recognize their into force, the convention needs to be for- existence. Invoking their right as sover- ally been slow in devising solutions. mally endorsed by 15 countries. Katinka eign states, they have been reluctant to let Until the end of the Cold War, action in Ridderbos of IDMC suggested to Africa in any foreign actors. favour of IDPs was very limited. In 1992 Renewal that “it is unlikely that we will Too often, governments or rebel groups the UN Secretary-General appointed Mr. see all the 53 African countries ratifying have not accepted responsibility for dis- Deng, a former Sudanese foreign min- the convention.” placed people. They often deny having ister, as his first representative on IDPs. However, Ms. Ridderbos asserts, forced them out of their homes and reject As the only senior UN official solely enough governments will likely ratify calls to take care of them. In some cases, devoted to IDPs, he was instrumental in the document to make it binding. The 11 population displacement has even been developing and publicizing legal mecha- signatories to the Great Lakes protocol part of a military strategy, and civilians nisms for their protection, including the are expected to adopt the AU convention. have been used as human shields. guiding principles. The 15 members of the Southern African Under the former Organization of African responses to the needs of Development Community are also said to African Unity, African states were reluc- IDPs have come a long way, from an ini- be committed to it. But as of early March tant to interfere in each other’s internal tial reluctance to a progressively stronger 2010 only Uganda, the host country, had affairs, even in the face of massive killings stand in recent years. In 2006, 11 Great ratified the treaty. and displacements, elevating the principle Lakes countries adopted a protocol on Another issue will be effective imple- of national sovereignty to “absurd propor- IDPs, the first binding multilateral pact mentation. The UN’s Mr. Kälin, whose tions,” regrets Salim Ahmed Salim, a for- in the world focused on internal displace- work involves assisting national authori- mer OAU secretary-general. ment. Before the Kampala Convention, ties around the world to protect IDPs, fore- But there has been progress since then. some countries had set up or were in the sees that “the lack of capacity and finan- Mr. Kälin believes that while the Kampala process of setting up legal frameworks cial as well as human resources” will be a Convention recognizes the sovereignty of for IDPs’ protection. practical hurdle. states, it “understands this concept not as The Kampala Convention resulted In most countries the needs of IDPs the right of governments to do nothing from a complex three-year drafting pro- are not matched by the resources allocated in situations of internal displacement, but cess that involved national governments, for assisting them. “Africa cannot do it rather as responsibility to assist and protect non-governmental organizations and alone,” says Ms. Joiner of the AU. “That their IDPs — a responsibility that flows experts, including some from UN agencies is why we are calling for partnerships.” from the fact that they, and nobody else, and departments. To date, it represents the To make the convention matter for the have the power to do so.” single most ambitious initiative for dealing millions of African IDPs, political com- Now that the treaty exists, African gov- with IDPs. mitment by African leaders will be the ernments have a duty to ensure that “the most important ingredient. “An absence convention becomes a binding instrument,” Challenges ahead of sufficient political will to adhere to the says Jean Ping, the AU Commission presi- Even before the ink dried on the AU con- commitments” would be disastrous, says dent. “At this point it is an achievement, vention, many were already pointing to Mr. Kälin. In some situations, assisting but not an end in itself.” n
Liberian women We have this huge surge of girls going to women across all countries to see that from page 9 school and women are excelling, but the she succeeds, because they believe that collective way we embraced peace build- her success is critical for sending other we have women being empowered. But ing is disintegrating because everyone is women to the presidency. we have serious concerns about what seeing herself as the next big thing.” “If she does good, everybody — women are going through in their home women, men, youth, boys and girls — will setting and in the community.” Breaking new ground see that as an example to follow in other Ironically, she notes, some of the Despite the difficulties, Ms. Gbowee says, areas. If she doesn’t, then the chances for advances made by Liberian women have Liberia’s first female president has bro- other women are slim. We think people complicated their efforts to work together ken new ground for African women and are really watching. And she has embold- to achieve more. “One thing we’ve seen provided a springboard for further ad- ened women in other countries to step out. in post-war Liberia is serious competition vances — and not only in Liberia. “When What we as women need to do is take amongst women. It is not helpful in terms you talk to sisters across the continent, serious advantage of that. Let’s put them of making more gains. They feel they no they say Ellen is the president for us all,” out there, turn it to our advantage and start longer need to collaborate to get there. she says. “There is strong backing from making some serious gains.” n
April 2010 21 Africans extend solidarity to Haiti Money, food and medicines from “mother Africa” to her diaspora
By Ernest Harsch n the broad international mobilization to help the stricken people of Haiti, Africa I is not lagging behind. Government offi- cials, religious leaders, students, artists and many other Africans responded to the news of the devastating earthquake of 12 January with an immediate outpouring of support and solidarity. By end-March, some 24 countries in Africa had either donated or pledged more than $51 mn for Haitian relief efforts, according to available reports. That was just a tiny fraction of the total of $3.5 bn Dormino Marco / UN given or promised worldwide, but notable nonetheless for the continent with the world’s highest poverty rates. In some countries, critics wondered whether the funds could not be better used at home. Life is certainly hard in Africa, Port au Prince, shortly after the earthquake: Though Africa is beset with problems acknowledged Cameroonian music star of its own, many countries have rushed aid to the stricken people of Haiti. Manu Dibango. But, he added, “Everyone can do something for the Haitian people, in the name of human dignity. Westerners pledged some $34 mn in humanitar- Accra. Namibia’s Chamber of Commerce, often do something for Africans. Why not ian assistance; Ghana, with a vow of $3 youth groups and local musicians also Africans for Africans?” mn in emergency relief; the Democratic mounted a text-messaging campaign and Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has benefit concert. ‘The first black republic’ promised $2.5 mn; and Equatorial Guinea, In Senegal, health care and social Historically, Africans have had a particu- with a pledge of $2 mn. work unions are collecting medicines and lar affinity for Haiti, a country populated new clothes to send to Haiti, and teach- almost entirely by descendants of Afri- Citizen responses ers’ unions held a “week of solidarity.” can slaves. Two days after the disaster the South Musicians from Senegal and other coun- There is a certain pride in Haiti’s his- African government pledged an initial tries organized an “Afrik for Haiti” ben- tory. As a coalition of political parties in R1 mn ($135,000). But South African efit concert in Dakar and are raising more Burkina Faso pointed out in a solidar- companies and charities quickly vowed funds from sales of a group single. The ity message, Haiti was “the first black to mount a bigger effort. South African Comité d’initiative Sénégal-Haïti, set up republic in the world,” a reference to the Minister of International Relations Maite by Senegalese and Caribbean residents revolution that drove out the slave owners Nkoana-Mashabane believes that public living in Senegal, argues for a longer-term and ended French colonial rule in 1802 — contributions will eventually exceed the perspective that looks beyond emergency more than a century and a half before most target of R30 mn ($4 mn) set for the na- relief to rebuilding, including by funding of Africa won its own freedom. tional campaign. scholarships for Haitian students. There are also more direct connections. In other African countries as well, civil A collective of university professors Numerous African countries have citizens society groups have not left the initiative from Benin, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guinea, in Haiti, including with the peacekeepers to their governments alone. Kenya’s local Senegal, South Africa, Sudan and the US are of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti Red Cross is coordinating the collection planning to fill a ship with goods from vari- (MINUSTAH) and with other interna- of money, food and other donations from ous countries along the West African coast tional organizations. Some were among the the public. Church groups from the DRC and sail it to Haiti. The aim, said Senegalese 200,000 believed to have lost their lives. to Burkina Faso are mobilizing contribu- academic Malick Ndiaye, is to “deliver a Among the biggest governmental con- tions from parishioners. An all-star “Ghana message from mother Africa to her sons tributors in Africa are: Morocco, which Loves Haiti” benefit concert was held in and daughters across the Atlantic.” n
22 April 2010 participants from across Africa, the conference trialized and developing nations to discuss key will celebrate the 50th anniversary of indepen- issues in the global economy. Contact Cath- dence of 17 African countries, with the aim erine Gagnaire, tel: +1 613 934-2805, website of identifying new issues for the continent’s
Globalization in Africa: Recolonization or Africa’s Development Impasse: Rethinking Renaissance? by Pádraig Carmody (Lynne the Political Economy of Transformation by Rienner, Boulder, USA, 2010; 180 pp; hb $55) Stephan Andreasson (Zed Books, London, UK, 2010; 256 pp; hb £70) Africa’s Liberation: The Legacy of Nyer- ere, eds. Cambi Chachage and Annar Cassam Speaking Truth to Power: Selected Pan- Protecting Human Security in Africa, ed. (Fahamu Books, Oxford, UK, 2010; 224 pp; pb African Postcards by Tajudeen Abdul- Ademola Abass (Oxford University Press, €12.95) Raheem (Fahamu Books, Oxford, UK, 2010; 270 pp; pb €14.95) Northamptonshire, UK, 2010; 400 pp; hb $140) Le Bonheur de servir: Réflexions et repères The Rise of China and India in Africa: by Albert Tévoédjrè (Archipel, Paris, France, Reformer les armées africaines: En quête Challenges, opportunities and critical inter- 2010; 332 pp; pb €19.95) d’une nouvelle stratégie, eds. Axel Auge and ventions, eds. Fantu Cheru and Cyril Obi (Zed Patrick Klousen (Karthala, Paris, France, 2010; Development Without Destruction: The UN 228 pp; pb €23) Books, London, UK, 2010; 272 pp; hb £70) and Global Resource Management by Nico Chinese and African Perspectives on China Schrijver (Indiana University Press, Blooming- L’agriculture sénégalaise à l’épreuve du in Africa, eds. Axel Harneit-Sievers, Stephen ton, USA, 2010; 312 pp; hb $75) marché by Guillaume Duteurtre, Mbene Dieye Marks and Sanusha Naidu (Fahamu Books, Faye and Papa Nouhine Dieye (Karthala, Paris, Systèmes de production et durabilité dans France, 2010; 456 pp; pb €29) Oxford, UK 2010; 298 pp; pb €16.95) les pays du sud by Bénédicte Thibaud and L’adieu aux armes? Parcours d’anciens com- Alain François (Karthala, Paris, France, 2010; Nation-States and the Challenges of battants, ed. Nathalie Duclos (Karthala, Paris, 312 pp; pb €28) Regional Integration in West Africa: The France, 2010; 432 pp; pb €29) Case of Nigeria, ed. Yomi Akinyeye (Kar- The Truth about Trade: The Real Impact of thala, Paris, France, 2010; 264 pp; pb €24) Civil War in African States: The Search for Liberalisation by Clive George (Zed Books, Security by Ian Spears (Lynne Rienner, Boul- London, UK, 2010; 224 pp; €65) Travail social et Sida en Afrique: au cœur der, USA, 2010; 281 pp; hb $65) des souffrances by Berthe Florence Ymele Neoliberal Africa: The Impact of Global Nouazi (L’Harmattan, Paris, France, 2010; 124 The Poor under Globalization in Asia, Latin Social Engineering by Graham Harrison (Zed pp; pb €13) America and Africa, eds. Machiko Nissanke Books, London, UK, 2010; 192 pp; hb £65) Peace versus Justice: The Dilemmas of Tran- and Erik Thorbecke (Oxford University Press, Femmes de tête, femmes d’honneur; combats Northamptonshire, UK, 2010; 400 pp; hb $99) sitional Justice in Africa, eds. Chandra Lekha des femmes, d’Afrique et d’ailleurs, ed. Henri Sriram and Suren Pillay (James Currey, Abing- Le Mythe du développement durable en Mova Sakanyi (L’Harmattan, Paris, France, don, UK, 2010; 387 pp; pb $37.95) Afrique noire by Essè Amouzou (L’Harmattan, 2010; 172 pp; pb €16.50) Paris, France; 2010; 280 pp; pb €25) De l’ouvrier immigré au travailleur sans Les colères de la faim: Pourquoi l’Afrique papier: Les étrangers dans la modernisation Le développement en Afrique: Un devoir pour s’est embrasée en 2008 by Jean-Célestin du salariat, eds. Alain Morice and Swanie les Africaines by Ignace Gnan (L’Harmattan, Edjangue (L’Harmattan, Paris, France, 2010; Potot (Karthala, Paris, France, 2010; 336 pp; Paris, France, 2010; 310 pp; pb €29.50) 86 pp; pb €11) pb €28)
April 2010 23 Africa’s recovery to the positive perfor- mance of the subcon- tinent’s biggest econo- mies (South Africa, ECONOMIC GROWTH Nigeria and Kenya) Good prospects for Africa and the revival of the global economy. Much like the United Nations — but with Africa’s growth, the minor differences in numbers — both the two institutions also International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the note, will be second African Development Bank (ADB) project only to Asia’s. The UN a swift recovery for African economies and the IMF further in 2010, following a global recession and suggest that African disastrous performances in 2009. During countries weathered a tour of three African countries in March, the global recession IMF President Dominique Strauss-Kahn better than most other Note: 2009: part estimate. 2010: forecast. predicted that growth for sub-Saharan Af- regions of the world, Source: UN Africa Renewal, from UN, World Economic Situation and Prospects rica will hit 4.5 per cent this year. Shortly partly as a result of the 2010. before, an equally optimistic Donald Ka- prudent fiscal policies beruka, president of the ADB, said that that many govern- COPENHAGEN ACCORD his institution expects Africa’s economy to ments implemented earlier. UN panel on funding grow between 4.5 and 5.5 per cent in 2010. Yet, as the UN report regrets, the crisis Already, in its latest World Economic and in 2009 “marked an unfortunate reversal climate change action Situation and Prospects, published in Janu- of hard-earned social and economic gains Three months after the December 2009 ary, the UN predicted that African growth that had been made in reducing both pov- international climate change conference in will reach 4.3 per cent in 2010, up from 1.6 erty and the large gap which separates Copenhagen, UN Secretary-General Ban per cent the previous year. Africa from its Millennium Development Ki-moon appointed a panel to examine Both the IMF and the UN attribute Goals (MDGs).” n how to mobilize resources for reducing and dealing with the effects of climate APPOINTMENTS change in developing countries. The panel will be co-chaired by Meles Zenawi, prime Mr. Anthony Lake, from the US, has been appointed by the UN minister of Ethiopia and Africa’s chief ne- Secretary-General as executive director of the UN Children’s Fund gotiator at the Copenhagen talks, and Gor- (UNICEF). He first joined the US Foreign Service in 1962 and has had a don Brown, the UK prime minister. It will long career, including as national security adviser under President Bill review potential sources of revenue and Clinton. He also served on the board of the US Fund for UNICEF, with a submit initial recommendations to a cli- stint as chairman from 2004 to 2007. Most recently, he was a professor mate negotiating session scheduled for 31 at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, http://havelshouseofhistory.com DC. At UNICEF, Mr. Lake replaces Ann Veneman, whose term ended on May–11 June in Bonn, Germany. Its final 30 April. report is expected by November 2010. In the Copenhagen Accord finalized Ms. Margot Wallström of Sweden has been appointed as the special representative of the UN Secretary-General on sexual violence in con- at the conference, world leaders agreed to flict. A former member of the Swedish parliament, she has been actively Garten Mark / UN demands by African and other developing involved in promoting the participation of women in peace and security countries for help in facing the adverse related issues. She also spearheaded campaigns to implement Secu- effects of climate change. The accord rity Council resolutions on halting sexual violence against civilians in included provisions for financial assistance conflict zones. of up to $30 bn over the three years of The Secretary-General has appointed Mr. Haile 2010-2012, with a conditional increase to Menkerios of South Africa as his special representative for Sudan. At some $100 bn by 2020. the time of his appointment, Mr. Menkerios was assistant secretary- Other members of the panel include Jens general for political affairs, and previously the UN’s deputy special rep- Stoltenberg, prime minister of Norway; resentative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Before joining the Donald Kaberuka, president of the African UN, he represented Eritrea in various capacities, including as ambassa- Development Bank; and George Soros,
UN / Evan Schneider dor to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the UN. chairman of the Soros investment and financial services company. n
24 April 2010