The Entrepreneur - Cameroon's Premier Economic & Business Journal

The Embassy Cables: The relationship between France and Africa

A 2008 cable sent from the American Embassy in Paris to the Secretary of State and other U.S. embassies around the world outlines the history of the diplomatic relationship between France and Africa, as President Nicholas Sarkozy has tried to reshape. The memo, recently released by Wikileaks, outlines Sarkozy’s efforts to reform the relationship between France and Africa. The policy of Sarkozy’s predecessors, termed the France-Afrique, or Françafrique model, had become “a complex web of economic, military, political, social and cultural ties that linked France with its former colonies and to a lesser extent non-francophone Africa,” the memo said. This included the governmental, educational, legal, military, bureaucratic and administrative systems of many African countries, which were modeled on French systems. These countries, some of which have French as the lingua franca and can only be reached by airplanes connecting through Paris, have long depended on France’s aid to stay afloat. In addition, the memo says, African leaders were often able to amass private fortunes, enjoy luxurious lifestyles in Europe, and occasionally achieve high-ranking French government positions...More

France And Africa: A Declining Relationship?

By Michel Garry

Since the end of the French colonization in Africa, France has tried to keep close links with the newly-independent countries. At the political, economic and even military levels - some bilateral defense agreements are still in force -, the French influence seems to remain strong. One could even speak of a special relationship , even though not on equal terms, due to the proximity created by a common recent history. The question is: can there be mutually beneficial cooperation when one dominated the other for so many years? How can a real partnership be built, with shared interests and objectives? Obviously, France's vision of Africa and of its cooperation with former colonies is crucial to set up a balanced relationship. After more than a year as President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy has already unveiled major trends in this regard. The French policy toward Africa does not remain static, and its evolutions may affect deeply the state of the special relationship and Africa's development now and in the coming years. In fact, the age when such a relationship could not be questioned, because former colonies were in a phase of transition, may well be over...More

"Land Grabs" in Agriculture: Fairer Deals Needed to Ensure Opportunity for Locals

Critics of international land acquisitions believe land grabs do not represent the interests of the host country and jeopardize its food security. This article from Nourishing the Planet, a project of the Worldwatch Institute, makes recommendations for ensuring that global land deals are beneficial for local residents. Host countries must identify who owns the land-whether on paper or in practice- and foreign investors must receive consent from local residents before purchasing the land, protecting the rights of small-scale farmers, says Nourishing the Planet. Most importantly, local residents should have the opportunity to be involved with infrastructure development in their communities for it can create jobs and fuel local economies. Such considerations, if practiced, may improve prosperity and food security for foreign investors and small-scale farmers...More

Cameroon: Who Wants to be Mr President?

By Ben Nakomo

With a population of about 20 million inhabitants, the Republic of Cameroon is set to organise another Presidential elections on October 9, 2011 in its peaceful tradition of voting for who occupies the highest executive and administrative office in the land. Shortly after the elections were announced, more than 50 persons submitted documents to the country's independent election commission ELECAM. while there is no better indicator for freedom of expression as it is in the relatively small country's 270 registered political parties and a press that prides itself on who can shout the loudest insults, 50 presidential candidates is a barometer for the inherent impossibilities that characterise the Cameroon landscape. On Friday, September 9, 2011, ELECAM reviewed and approved the application files of 21 aspirants. The list published on Saturday morning shows a pack of candidates with an average age of 65 years. Whilst the other 31 rejected presidential applicants are huffing-and-puffing and 18 of them have submitted appeals to the Supreme Court sitting for the constitutional court, the huge attraction of who wants to be Mr President has not only stupefied Cameroon's electorate, but has rendered them spoilt for choice and frightened at the inexplicability of being tormented in the polling both to select a candidate from the pack. In the meantime, the incumbent H.E President Paul Biya has launched his campaign online attracting  millions of hits. Who shall be elected President on October 9, 2011?

Unpleasant Truths: When Gaddafi railed and blasted UN

General Debate of the 64th Session (2009)
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya H.E. Colonel Muammar Al-Qadhafi, Leader of the Revolution
September 23, 2009

Statement summary

MUAMMAR AL-QADHAFI, Leader of the Revolution of Libya, speaking also on behalf of the African Union, said he hoped this gathering would be a historic one. He also congratulated United States President Barack Obama on his first address to the General Assembly. This year`s debate was being held in the midst of many challenges and the world should unite and defeat these challenges, which included climate change, the economic crisis and the food crisis. LISTEN TO AUDIO

He said many Member States were not present when the United Nations was created by three countries years ago. They created the Charter but the Preamble was different from the provisions and articles. No one objected to the Preamble, but he rejected everything that came after. The Preamble of the United Nations Charter said nations were equal, whether large or small. The veto power bestowed upon the five permanent members of the Security Council was, therefore, against the Charter, and he neither accepted nor recognized it.

Panel Discussion: Libya, the UN, the AU and South Africa

Date: Thursday 15 September 2011
Time: 18h00 to 20h00
Venue: Senate Hall, University of Pretoria, South Africa

The Centre for Mediation in Africa, the Department of Political Sciences and the Centre for Human Rights invite you to a panel discussion on the topic "Libya, the United Nations, the African Union and South Africa: Wrong moves? Wrong motives", to be addressed by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ebrahim, on 15 September 2011.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 on Libya has proven to be extremely controversial. It mandates the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya and resolves to take all necessary measures to protect civilians under threat of attack. Some Africans have been critical of South Africa and the other African countries that supported the resolution in their capacity as non-permanent members of the Security Council.

The imperial delusions of the United States

Almost ten years after the 9/11 attacks, US foreign policy remains aggressive and unrealistic.

By Robert Jensen

Ten years ago, critics of the United States' mad rush to war were right, but it didn't matter.
Within hours after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it was clear that political leaders were going to use the attacks to justify war in Central Asia and the Middle East. And within hours, those of us critical of that policy began to offer principled and practical arguments against aggressive war as a response to the crimes...It didn't matter because neither the public nor policymakers were interested in principled or practical arguments. People wanted revenge, and the policymakers seized the opportunity to use US military power. Critical thinking became a mark not of conscientious citizenship but of dangerous disloyalty.....We were right, but the wars came.

The destructive capacity of the US military meant quick "victories" that just as quickly proved illusory. As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq dragged on, it became clearer that the position staked out by early opponents was correct - the wars not only were illegal (conforming to neither international nor constitutional law) and immoral (fought in ways that guaranteed large-scale civilian casualties and displacement), but a failure on any pragmatic criteria. The US military has killed some of the people who were targeting the United States and destroyed some of their infrastructure and organisation, but a decade later we are weaker and our sense of safety is more fragile. The ability to dominate militarily proved to be both inadequate and transitory, as predicted.

Ten years later, we are still right and it still doesn't matter....More

"Africa Can Feed the World"

The neglect of sustainable agriculture in Africa must end says Kanayo Nwaze, president of the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The Somali famine serves as a warning to African governments and the international community to invest in small-scale farming. Development assistance for agriculture fell from $20billion (in the 1990s) to $3billion (in the early 2000s) due to an emphasis shift from agriculture to industrialization. Agriculture accounts for approximately 30% of sub-Saharan Africa's GPD but represents 80% of export earnings in other countries. Nwaze is confident that diversification, rural investment, the stemming of migration, and reduction in the gap between rural and the urban populations can boost food productivity and generate income for countries in Africa...More

Obama's Expanded Militarism

US President Barack Obama speaks of law and allies instead of war and an "axis of evil" giving the impression that there has been a shift in US security strategy. Rather than diminishing its military engagement, however, the US continues to expand the use of force through drones. The author contends that drones are potentially worse than previous counter-terrorism efforts. The ease of using drones and the lack of US casualties may shield the attacks from adverse public opinion. Further, they militarize global social spaces in a new manner. The decision to move away from ground troops and land invasions is not part of a "progressive" move away from aggressive foreign policy but a logical accommodation to a globalized world of disorder, says Srinivasan...More

Famine the World Could Avoid

The UN has declared parts of Somalia to be in famine; a direct effect of the most recent drought that has taken hold of the Horn of Africa. According to journalist John Vidal, climate change is however only partly to blame for the ensuing humanitarian disaster. Decades of wars, including the US' 'War on Terror', have stripped people of their assets and abilities to secure a decent standard of living. Causes of the current situation have had foreseeable consequences and now command that Britain, the EU, the US and Japan help the people of the Somali Peninsula to adapt to the changing and ever-harsher conditions, says Vidal...More