Africa And The War On Drugs

Last week the Royal African Society, Zed Books, and the International African Institute launched a new book entitled, Africa and the War on Drugs.

Since its launch, there have been a number of articles and Op-Eds on the Royal African Society's African Arguments website.  Here is a list of what is out so far:

• Fighting A-Historical Analysis Of The West African Trade – By Gernot Klantschnig
• The West African Cocaine Trade Is Not Just Business As Usual – By James Cockayne
• Africa And The War On Drugs – A Review By Stephen Ellis
• Focus On Khat And The Fight For Legality – By Neil Carrier
• Guinea-Bissau, Coups And Africa’s Cocaine Equation – By Joseph Kirschke

While this may seem to be a topic more suited to Latin America, indeed this is no longer the case.  Starting with Guinea being named a "narco-state", the drugs trade and it's recent explosion in West Africa has become a topic of much debate and contention.  The linkages between AQIM and other terrorist groups with the drug trade is an issue that needs to be discussed and debated.  Hopefully these links will only be the beginning for further debate, research, and discussion of findings.

Also, though not African-specific, for a good introduction to the international drugs trade in general, here is a lecture at LSE by Misha Glenny that can be watched for free online: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=173

China and Canada in Africa

One of our own members was featured in last month's China in Africa podcast.  It can be listened to on iTunes or here: http://soundcloud.com/chinatalkingpoints/china-and-africa-come-together

Minister Fast on Africa

Here is a good review of what the Minister said last week at the Canadian Council on Africa's Symposium.  "While numbers like these aren’t new for those familiar with investment in Africa, Negatu’s analysis revealed the delay people have in shedding their impression of Africa of forever being hat in hand."
http://www.ipolitics.ca/2012/10/17/from-aid-to-trade-a-new-africa-paradigm-on-the-rise/

Along the same lines but earlier this month...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/trade-not-aid-the-theme-of-harpers-visit-to-africa/article4597741/
“People in Canada are used to hearing of Africa strictly in aid terms, but it’s turning into more of an economic story. … It’s a region that’s growing. Countries are starting to orient themselves outward to exports and growth.”  Nice change and just in time too, if we really are seeing a shift.

Land Grabs?

What is likely to be an excellent report for those interested in the facts about Land Grabs (and lack thereof):
http://media.routledgeweb.com/catalogs/handbook_land_waterpdf.pdf

African Small & Medium Enterprises Face Challenges

An excellent look at the major issues faced by African SMEs:

http://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/greedy-financiers-and-lack-of-business-skills-holding-back-african-entrepreneurs/21440/


Echoed here as well: http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2012/10/bootstraps-or-bust-starting-a-tech-business-in-africa

K'naan Autobiography To Be A Children's Book

On George Stroumboulopoulos' website yesterday was an announcement that Somali-Canadian singer K'naan's autobiography will be a children's book targeting kids aged 7 to 10.
http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/canada/knaan-autobiography-to-be-a-childrens-book.html

Brazil-Africa Relations

A recent article by The New York Times on Brazil-African relations: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/08/world/americas/brazil-gains-in-reaching-out-to-africa.html?_r=2&smid=tw-share

The Clinton Tour Issue?

The Clinton Tour Issue?

A diplomatic row may be erupting surrounding the debate about Hillary Clinton's speeches on her latest tour of the continent.   Is she being condescending?  Is the US incorrectly portraying themselves and China?   Does she have a point?  

The latest on this is an article from Charles Kenny in Bloomberg Business was published today, entitled Why Cheap-Shot Diplomacy in Africa Won't Work.  This is by no means the only coverage of the issue, however.  The UK's Guardian Poverty Matters Blog has a post with the bold title, Hillary Clinton's morally superior speech in Africa was deluded.  Chinese media sources have also come out with several statements (here, here, and on the FOCAC website) in retaliation to what has been perceives as veiled jibes against their involvement on the continent.  Equally, there is an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled, Don't let Africa fall to China, to which our own blogger, Victoria Schorr, recently commented on through The China in Africa Project's Facebook page (see August 6th).

This is just the latest in seemingly cold-war-revivalist discussions on China's role in the continent.  Only time will tell how this will play out diplomatically and on which side African citizens will fall.