June 22, 2009
Zimbabwe: Reforms 'Irreversible' Tsvangirai Tells British PM
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe told his British counterpart in London on Monday that his country was engaged in "an irreversible process" of consolidating democratic… Read more »
June 21, 2009
Africa: Egypt, South Africa Hold Their Own in Confeds Cup
Africa's two contenders in the Confederations Cup - the curtain-raiser to next year's World Cup - are riding high after doing relatively well in the first part of the tournament. Read more »
June 20, 2009
Madagascar: Region Appoints Chissano as Mediator
Southern African leaders have responded to the deadlock in talks over Madagascar's future by appointing former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano as a mediator to lead an… Read more »
June 18, 2009
Madagascar: Regional Leaders Call Emergency Summit
Southern African leaders will begin an emergency summit in Johannesburg on Friday to discuss the deadlock in talks to end the political crisis in Madagascar. Read more »
South Africa: Bafana Bafana Stage a Comeback
South Africa is back on course to qualify for the second round of the Fifa Confederations cup after a 2-0 win over New Zealand. Read more »
June 17, 2009
Zimbabwe: Is Tsvangirai's Optimism Enough?
I gained a new appreciation for Morgan Tsvangirai’s unique position recently. I had the good fortune of attending his first on-the-record event hosted by the Council on… Read more »
Africa: Continent's Soccer Teams Put Up Good Show
Although South Africa and Egypt, Africa's representatives at the Confederations Cup, failed to win maximum points in their first games, they are still very much in the tournament… Read more »
June 16, 2009
Zimbabwe: Finding White Rhodesia in the American West
The writer Alexandra Fuller is best known in southern Africa for two books which portray with vivid and – for one who grew up in the same milieu – discomforting… Read more »
June 15, 2009
South Africa: Spectre of Corruption Threatens Democracy
Recent events in South Africa and Britain show that despite the fact they are regarded by many as examples of good governance, political leaders in both countries are struggling to… Read more »
Malawi: Madonna's Newly-Adopted Child Prepares to Leave
As pop star Madonna prepares to fly her newly-adopted Malawian child to New York, the child's father has reportedly given up efforts to keep her in Malawi. Read more »
June 13, 2009
Zimbabwe: Obama Boosts Tsvangirai, Cold-Shoulders Unity Govt
President Barack Obama has welcomed Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to the Oval Office in Washington, DC, with a U.S. $73 million aid package for Zimbabwe. But he refused to give… Read more »
June 12, 2009
Malawi: Court Allows Madonna to Adopt Child
A Malawi appeals court has given pop star Madonna the right to adopt a second Malawian child. Read more »
June 11, 2009
South Africa: United States Relations - The Political Dimension
The following is a paper as prepared for delivery by Moeletsi Mbeki at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC on June 10, 2009. The paper was presented as part of a conference… Read more »
June 08, 2009
Lesotho: Madonna, African Adoptions and Unnamed Sources
A British tabloid newspaper has set off speculation that pop superstar Madonna is now looking to adopt a child from Lesotho, or even Nigeria. Read more »
June 05, 2009
South Africa: Zuma's Half-Million Jobs is Wishful Thinking
In President Jacob Zuma's first address to the South African Parliament on the state of the nation this week, he promised to create half a million jobs in the next six months. It… Read more »
June 04, 2009
Botswana: Development Bank Lends Nation U.S. $1.5 Billion
In a decision reflecting the consequences of the global economic crisis for Africa, the African Development Bank has granted Botswana the largest-ever assistance package of its… Read more »
May 28, 2009
Zimbabwe: To Give or Not to Give?
Last week, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the South African Broadcasting Corporation that she was "not yet confident" that aid money to Zimbabwe would get… Read more »
May 26, 2009
South Africa: Nation Enters First Recession Since Democracy
Africa's biggest economy, that of South Africa, contracted by a shock six percent in the first quarter of this year, confiming that the country has slid into its first recession in… Read more »
Africa: Diamond Magnate Calls for 'African Way' of Doing Business
A South African businessman whose name is synonymous with the international diamond trade has told an African Union (AU) audience that the global economic crisis was caused by… Read more »
May 21, 2009
Malawi: Mutharika Leading in Flawed Election
President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi appears set to win re-election in polls marred by what monitoring groups have described as the "unashamed bias" of state radio and television… Read more »
May 15, 2009
Malawi: Old Rivals Forge New Alliances in Bitter Election
Malawi's bitter political struggle will be taken up by the voters on May 19 when the country heads for the polls to choose a new president and parliament. Read more »
May 13, 2009
South Africa: Diamond Sold For Record U.S. $9.4 Million
A seven-carat blue diamond discovered at the Cullinan diamond mine near Pretoria has been sold in Geneva for a record price of nearly U.S. $9.5 million. Read more »
May 09, 2009
South Africa: President Zuma Inaugurated in Lavish Ceremony
African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma may be a commoner, but his inauguration as the fourth democratically-elected President of South Africa on Saturday was a lavish ceremony… Read more »
May 07, 2009
Africa: Carson Assumes Top U.S. Africa Policy Post, Departs for Zuma Inauguration
Ambassador Johnnie Carson was sworn in Wednesday as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, the administration's senior Africa policymaking position. Read more »
Sudan: Facing Arrest, Bashir Stays Away From South Africa
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir will not attend South African President-elect Jacob Zuma's inauguration Saturday, a top South African official said at a media briefing Thursday. Read more »