Peer Review Under Scrutiny
Sparks flew in dusty Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last weekend, as representatives of the 29 member states of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) – the continent’s home-grown governance promotion instrument – gathered for their biannual meeting on the fringes of the African Union (AU) Summit.
Political Economy Models of the Resource Curse: Implications for Policy and Research
A number of studies suggest that natural resources can have a negative impact on countries’ development prospects.
Gabonese Election Aftermath Confirms Worrying Trends in African Politics
The Gabonese Minister of Interior’s announcement that Ali-Ben Bongo Ondimba, candidate for the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) and son of Gabon’s late President Omar Bongo, has won the 30 August presidential election came as no surprise to many Gabonese and observers of the country’s politics.
Kenya: Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence on Inequality
Kenya recently completed a controversial census that enquired into, among other things, the ethnicity of its citizens.
Whither Human Rights in African International Relations?
In a constantly evolving global context, have African countries been able to initiate a continental human rights foreign policy?
Gabon: Presidential Election – Time for Change or More of the Same?
Gabon goes to the polls to elect a new president on Sunday, nearly three months after the death of President Omar Bongo Ondimba at the age of 73.
APRM Forum in Libya: Few Surprises, Unanswered Questions
A day ahead of this year’s African Union summit in Libya, the 11th meeting of the forum of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) took place in the sweltering seaside town of Sirte.
From Fatigues to Three-Piece Suits: East African Guerrillas in Power
Since decolonisation in African countries ethno-political differences have led to guerrilla warfare. Through these movements, authoritarian regimes have been created.
The African Peer Review Mechanism – Progress and Prospects
On 30 June 2009, as African leaders gather on the sweltering, dusty shores of the Mediterranean in Sirte, the hometown of Libyan President Muammar al-Gaddafi, for the 13th Summit of the African Union, some early birds will attend another vital meeting on the fringes.
People Power: How Civil Society Blocked an Arms Shipment for Zimbabwe
In April 2008, a Chinese ship carrying arms destined for Zimbabwe’s Defence Force attempted to offload those weapons in Durban’s harbour, so that they might be transported across South African territory to land-locked Zimbabwe.