May 28

• Africa: Sustainability Certifications - Working Better Than You Think [analysis]

  Voluntary certification schemes like Fairtrade face mounting criticism, but emerging evidence shows that the impacts for those involved are broadly positive Read more »

May 22

• Africa: African Unity After 50 Years of OAU/AU - a Dream Deferred? [analysis]

  As the AU is marking the 50th anniversary of the OAU under the theme 'Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance', it is necessary to subject the 50 years journey of the OAU/AU with... Read more »

• Kenya: Politicizing the ICC Process Will Not Let ICC Suspects Off the Hook [analysis]

  At the World Economic Forum two weeks ago, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said that Kenya will meet its obligations under the Rome Statute even as he seeks to clear his name at... Read more »

May 17

• Africa: The Curious Tale of the Missing MDGs and Africa's Progress [analysis]

  The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have driven the global development agenda since September 2000, when Kofi Annan, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, and 191... Read more »

• Africa: The Diaspora Can Help Fuel Rwanda's Technology and Digital Ambitions [analysis]

  As Rwanda day 2013 comes to London for the first time, let me take this opportunity to talk about the role that the Rwandan business community in the diaspora can playing by... Read more »

• Uganda: Beyond the LRA Lobby, The Hunt for Kony ... Towards Civilian Protection [analysis]

  On the 28th of February this year, an unfortunate incident happened in Garamba National Park, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)-affected area in North-Eastern Congo. Read more »

May 16

• Africa: The Morality of China in Africa [book review]

  It is oddly appropriate that in reviewing a book that expends many pages in slightly obscure, not always enlightening and often whimsical accounts of the philosophy of Confucianism... Read more »

May 15

• Africa: Bob Diamond, Uhuru Kenyatta and the Rise of Afro-Confidence [opinion]

  The World Economic Forum held its annual meeting (the Davos of Africa) in Cape Town last week. Read more »

May 14

• Mali: Which Way Forward? [interview]

  A little over a year ago, a few friends met to hang out online and talk about the political crisis in Mali (the text was published here and entitled 'Mali: How Bad Can it Get?').... Read more »

• Sudan: Democratization and the Failure of the Sudan Peace Process [analysis]

  Alex has summarized my book quite well, but with one major exception: the central theme is the failure of the peace process to oversee the democratic transformation called for in... Read more »

May 13

• Somalia: Can Britain Fix Somalia? [analysis]

  Last week, Somalia's donors and international partners came together in London to lay down the foundations of post-transitional government in the country. Read more »

• Africa: The Rise and Rise of the African Factivists [analysis]

  Bono's much-tweeted TED talk spotlighted Ghana, a West African country usually regarded as one of the continent's better managed and more successful 'lions'. Ghana's journey... Read more »

May 10

• Africa: African Oil & Gas Outlook 2013 - Analysis by Region [analysis]

  Nigeria and Angola Read more »

• Africa: Africa's Oil and Gas Outlook 2013 [analysis]

  Africa' share of global oil and gas production has stood at 10% and 6% respectively over the past 24 months. Read more »

May 09

• Zimbabwe: How Zanu-PF Stays in Power [analysis]

  Recent arbitrary arrests of prominent human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa and senior officials of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), coupled with sporadic attacks on... Read more »

• Zimbabwe: Elections Scenarios - Report Cuts Through the Political Posturing [analysis]

  The International Crisis Group issued on 6 May a very helpful report entitled Zimbabwe: Elections Scenarios. Read more »

• Zimbabwe: Is a New Rapprochement On Zimbabwe Occurring? [analysis]

  Recently, the 'Friends of Zimbabwe' group of western donors met in London, together with representatives of all of Zimbabwe's main political parties. The 'Friends' group - formerly... Read more »

• Sudan: The Fate of Sudan: the Origins and Consequences of a Flawed Peace Process [book review]

  John Young, The Fate of Sudan: The Origins and Consequences of a Flawed Peace Process, London, Zed Books, 2012. Read more »

May 08

• Kenya: Kenyatta, Ruto and the ICC - Diplomatic Earthquake in the Offing [analysis]

  Everyone is so relieved that the Kenyan election this year did not result in a repeat of ethnic violence after the 2007 election, that we seem to have forgotten that both President... Read more »

May 07

• Somalia: Govt Seeks Lasting Support From London Conference [analysis]

  Today, over 40 delegates from many nations and organisations are meeting in London to discuss the future of Somalia's post transition government. Read more »

• East Africa: Djibouti, Democracy and the Horn of Africa [analysis]

  As the world gathers in London today to discuss how to secure a stable and prosperous Somalia, it is important to recognize the changing dynamics and critical issues at play in the... Read more »

May 03

• Africa: Analysing the Analysis of Africa [analysis]

  This week's The Times CEO Africa summit in London featured (among others) Ghana's President John Mahama and - in contrasting fortunes - almost-president Raila Odinga of Kenya. Read more »

May 02

• Nigeria: After Baga, Forces Lost in a Maze [analysis]

  When Nigeria's Joint Security Task Force (JTF) responded to the distress call that insurgents had stationed themselves in Baga, the quiet town on the edge of Lake Chad on Friday... Read more »

• Somalia: Consensus, Representation and Parliament in Somaliland [analysis]

  "Elections matter in Somaliland. Read more »

May 01

• Rwanda: Victoire Ingabire Faces Her Judges in Appeal [analysis]

  The last time I communicated directly with Victoire Ingabire, on October 13th 2010, she sounded tense and tired. Read more »