AFRICA ARCHIVE :

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Christian Science Monitor, 09 Dec 10, by Scott Baldauf
WikiLeaks documents roil Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa
'Embarrassing US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks have put leaders in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa in the hot seat.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Dec 10, by Jason Stearns
Do UN sanctions matter for the Congo?
'Targeted sanctions are most effective when applied to individuals, but when those individuals see little impact or are able to evade the sanctions, it raises questions about their merits.'

New York Times, 18 Nov 10, by Barry Bearak
Coup Attempt Seems to Founder in Madagascar
'A coup attempt in Madagascar appeared to be foundering on Thursday as the military officers who claimed to be taking over the country instead spent the day in their barracks.'

Washington Post, 23 Oct 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
More U.S. diplomats heading to Sudan before critical vote on secession; new violence feared
'Senior U.S. officials said Friday that more American diplomats were being dispatched to Sudan and that President Obama was getting daily briefings on preparations for a referendum that could divide the troubled country in two.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct 10, by Amanda Hsiao
Conference gives glimpse of potential South Sudan state
'A conference between South Sudan's political parties, civil society, and religious groups gave a look at what a future state in South Sudan might look like.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Oct 10, by Laura Jones
UN Darfur visit could endanger locals it aims to protect
'Guest blogger Laura Jones of the Enough Project questions whether the UN visit to Darfur, which was followed by the government's arrest of those the UN met with, hurt more than it helped.'

Washington Post, 15 Oct 10, by Colum Lynch
China seeks to block U.N. report on its weapons in Darfur
'China has mounted a strenuous diplomatic campaign to block the publication of a U.N. report that claims that Chinese ammunition has been shipped into Darfur in the past year, in clear violation of U.N. sanctions, according to several U.N. diplomatic sources.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Oct 10, by Savious Kwinika
Botswana president wants Zimbabwe sanctions lifted
'Lifting sanctions on Zimbabwe would encourage further reform, says Botswana President Khama, formerly a vocal critic of Zimbabwe President Mugabe.'

New York Times, 06 Oct 10, by Adam Nossiter
Nigerian Government Searches for Culprits Behind Bombings
'Aftershocks from last week’s deadly blasts in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, continued to reverberate on Tuesday as the shaken government pressed its search for the culprits.

BBC News, 24 Sep 10
Sudan reaches historic crossroads
[video] 'In just over three months the southern Sudanese will vote on splitting away from Sudan, a consequence of a peace deal that ended a long north-south civil war. US President Barack Obama is due to attend a special meeting on Sudan at the United Nations in New York.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep 10, by Jason Stearns
More reports of Rwandan troops deploying to Congo
'In recent weeks, there have been many unconfirmed reports of Rwandan troops heading into the Democratic Republic of the Congo to assist the Congolese army.'

Washington Post, 15 Sep 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
U.S. begins diplomatic effort to rescue peace plan in Sudan
'The Obama administration, worried that an upcoming referendum in Sudan could lead to renewed bloodshed, has begun an urgent diplomatic effort to rescue the American-backed peace plan there.'

Washington Post, 12 Sep 10, by Rebecca Hamilton
South Sudan independence vote at risk
'... with negotiations between north and south stalled over border demarcation, and preparations for the vote lagging perilously behind, the likelihood of the referendum proceeding as planned appears slim.'

Washington Post, 13 Sep 10, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Network of spies threatens Somalia
'Conversations with spies and former spies in Mogadishu provide a rare look into how al-Shabab, designated a terrorist organization by the United States, operates in government-controlled areas.'

Washington Post, 30 Aug 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
Obama administration intensifies efforts in Sudan
'The Obama administration, which came to office promising stronger leadership on Sudan, is now scrambling to salvage a 2005 U.S.-backed peace accord and prevent Africa's largest nation from sliding back into civil war.'

Xinhua, 27 Aug 10
No easy way to peace in war-ravaged Somalia
'Observers see no easy way to peace in the country mired in nearly two decades of civil war, citing the deep division between the regional warlords and political factions as well as the lack of a strong government able to administer the country effectively. But they also have urged foreign countries to take great care when intervening, warning outside influence may easily fuel violence, as militant forces fighting the government find this an excuse for launching offensives in the name of nationalism.'

Washington Post, 28 Aug 10, by Colum Lynch
U.N.: Rwandan troops may have committed war crimes in efforts to end '94 genocide
'An exhaustive U.N. investigation into the history of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo has concluded that the Rwandan military and its allies carried out hundreds of large-scale killings of ethnic Hutu refugees during the 1990s ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jul 10, by Laura Seay
Why recent US 'conflict minerals' legislation may not help in eastern Congo
'The advocates arguing that recent US 'conflict minerals' legislation will help bring peace to eastern Congo are operating on a flawed understanding of the violence and the logic that motivates the fighters.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jul 10, by Max Delany
Uganda bombings: Somalis in Uganda's capital now fear reprisal attacks
'Less than 48 hours after twin Uganda bombings claimed by Somalia's Al Shabab militants killed 76 people, the Somali community in Uganda is now worried about being attacked. An unexploded suicide vest was found Monday and four foreigners arrested.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Jul 10, by Mike Pflanz
At last, a court to try Somali pirates
'Most navies catch and release Somali pirates. But Kenya's new pirate court, funded by the UN, aims to bring legal clarity to a complex international crime.'

New York Times, 13 Jun 10, by Jeffrey Gettleman
Children Carry Guns for a U.S. Ally, Somalia
'According to Somali human rights groups and United Nations officials, the Somali government, which relies on assistance from the West to survive, is fielding hundreds of children or more on the front lines, some as young as 9.'

New York Times, 04 Jun 10, by Adam Nossiter
African States Weigh 50 Bittersweet Years of Independence
'The notion of independence itself — in a context of bad governance, economic inequality, poverty and dependence on foreign aid — has been called into question by some African intellectuals.'

Washington Post, 27 May 10, by Sudarsan Raghavan
In Somalia's war, a new challenger is pushing back radical al-Shabab militia
'Sufis are suceeding in taking on al-Shabab, an extremist group with ties to al-Qaeda.'

Washington Post, 24 May 10, by Craig Whitlock
Lack of prosecution poses challenge for foreign navies that catch Somali pirates
'The United States and more than 20 allied countries have captured hundreds of pirates since launching joint operations in the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden last year. But catching the pirates -- almost all from Somalia, a failed state on the Horn of Africa -- has been the easy part. Finding a place to hold them has proved far more complicated.'

Washington Post, 13 May 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
U.S. envoy Gration says Sudan's peace accord is in peril
'Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, the special envoy to Sudan, acknowledged to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that preparations for a critical element of the peace accord -- a referendum on independence for southern Sudan -- are behind schedule. Many analysts fear that southern Sudan's secession could result in renewed fighting.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr 10, by Scott Baldauf
Sudan 101: Could the war over South Sudan spark up again?
'Polls suggest that most southerners will vote for secession in the 2011 referendum, thereby reducing Khartoum's oil revenues. The division of Sudan's oil resources could cause a return to war.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr 10, by Scott Baldauf
Sudan 101: What is the Darfur war about?
'In 2003, rebels in Darfur took up arms to force President Omar al-Bashir's Arab-dominated government to deliver greater autonomy and better governance to the neglected region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr 10, by Scott Baldauf
Sudan 101: Is the Darfur conflict a fight between Arabs and Africans?
'Racial tension between ethnic groups fuels the conflict in Darfur, as many nomadic herdsmen consider themselves to be Arabs while many farmers consider themselves to be African.'

Washington Post, 26 Apr 10, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Sudan's first multiparty elections in more than 2 decades maintain status quo
'Bashir will not earn any more legitimacy from his victory: The elections were marred from the start by allegations of vote-rigging, and the main opposition parties boycotted the ballot. Bashir becomes the first head of state charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court in The Hague to be reelected.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 10, by Scott Baldauf and Alan Boswell
Sudan election problems: few enough to be legitimate?
'As voting ended today in Sudan's election, voters in the south complained about being unable to find their names on the voter rolls. Jimmy Carter says the election is a major stepping stone in the peace process.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr 10, by Scott Baldauf
Sudan election: Is Khartoum stealing South Sudan's oil?
'As people vote in the Sudan election, a recent report says that $700 million – perhaps much more – may have been underpaid to South Sudan since a 2005 peace agreement mandated the sharing of oil revenues with Khartoum in the North.'

The National Interest, 09 Apr 10, by J. Peter Pham
Sudan’s Election Fiasco
'It goes without saying that things have not quite work out as planned. Of course, it was never going to be easy. The logistics alone are daunting ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Apr 10, by Scott Baldauf
Bashir: The only choice left in Sudan elections
'In the Sudan elections that should have offered a choice between unity or southern secession, political Islam or secular governance, only President Omar Al-Bashir's party is running. Twelve parties are boycotting the vote.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Apr 10, by Matthew Clark
Somali pirates: Why don’t more ships have private security?
'Somali pirates have been attacking farther out into the Indian Ocean for months, but many ships – such as the South Korean supertanker nabbed this weekend – still do not travel with a private security detail. Why not?'

Christian Science Monitor, 16 Mar 10, by Scott Baldauf
Inside Al Shabab: How the Somalia militant group rules through fear
'As the Somalia government fends off militant group Al Shabab, the Al Qaeda-linked insurgency shows its power through intimidation of a whistle-blower.'

New York Times, 16 Mar 10, by Jeffrey Gettleman
Somalia’s President Assails U.N. Report on Corruption
'Somalia’s president on Tuesday blasted a recent United Nations report that characterized the government’s security forces as ineffective and corrupt and said that as much as half the food aid to the country was routinely stolen.'

Stars and Stripes, 23 Mar 10, by John Vandiver
U.S. contractor flies AU peacekeepers to Somalia
'State department says U.S. has no plans to increase military’s role'

New York Times, 05 Mar 10, by Jeffrey Gettleman
U.S. Aiding Somalia in Its Plan to Retake Its Capital
'... American assistance could be crucial to the effort by Somalia’s government to finally reassert its control over the capital and bring a semblance of order to a country that has been steeped in anarchy for two decades.'

Washington Post, 10 Mar 10, by Sudarsan Raghavan
U.S. envoy pushes for Darfur peace deal before Sudanese elections
'The U.S. special envoy to Sudan warned Wednesday that efforts to bring peace to the country's troubled Darfur region could become less of a priority for the Obama administration if a full-fledged peace agreement is not reached before Sudanese elections scheduled for mid-April.'

Associated Press, 19 Feb 10, by Dalatou Mamane and Rukmini Callimachi
Analysis: Niger coup another chance at democracy
'In this unstable corner of the world where elections are easily manipulated, military-led coups actually are one way to address bad governance.'

BBC, 19 Feb 10
African Union condemns Niger military coup
'The African Union leads criticism of a coup in Niger, after soldiers seize power promising to restore democracy and end corruption.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Feb 10, by Scott Baldauf
New Somalia government offensive against Al Shabab
'The weak, transitional Somalia government may finally bring President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed some badly needed legitimacy if newly trained forces can push back the militant Islamist group, Al Shabab.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan 10, by Scott Baldauf
Nigeria militants call off truce in oil-rich Niger Delta
'The tentative peace in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region appears to have finally ended this weekend, sparking fears of a return to the violence that has cut output of the No. 3 crude oil supplier to the United States by more than 25 percent in recent years.'

Washington Post, 02 Feb 10, by Barney Jopsonin
Southern Sudan says vote on independence is off-limits for United Nations
'Diplomats fear that a vote for independence in southern Sudan would resonate in Nigeria, Congo and elsewhere.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan 10, by Scott Baldauf
What's behind Christian-Muslim fighting in Nigeria?
The Nigerian Army was sent in Tuesday to stop violence that began Sunday, after Christians protested the construction of a mosque and after Muslim protesters attacked a Catholic church.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Jan 10, by Scott Baldauf
Somali pirates fight over record ransom
'Escalating payments and higher success rates call into question the effectiveness of the high-profile international naval patrolling in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea.'

Washington Post, 12 Jan 10, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Somalis fleeing to Yemen prompt new worries in fight against al-Qaeda
'As the United States deepens its counterterrorism operations in Yemen, officials are concerned that extremists could find growing Somali refugee camps fertile ground for recruiting.'

New York Times, 07 Jan 10, by Jack Healy
Sudan Clashes Seen as Threat to Peace Treaty
'Fighting has been escalating in southern Sudan as a vote on independence in 2011 approaches ...'

New York Times, 01 Jan 10, by Mohammed Ibrahim
Somali Rebels Pledge to Send Fighters to Aid Yemen Jihad
'Senior leaders of the Shabab rebels promised Friday to send their fighters beyond Somalia to Yemen and wherever jihad beckoned.'

2009 Africa archive