What We’re Reading: Lifting Africa from a mineral ‘curse’

Feb 22nd, 2012 1:11 PM UTC
By Emily Walker

Can Senegal, and Youssou N’Dour, Turn the Tide on Africa’s Big Men? – While the “dynamic of Senegal’s Feb. 26 election is a familiar-sounding one: an aging, increasingly autocratic African President trying to cling to power,” Senegal has previously been considered “a beacon of stability and democracy” in Africa. Many Senegalese now feel that Wade is undermining the country’s political development, and are protesting his re-election campaign. Numerous civil society groups are now involved, illustrating a “generalized dissatisfaction with all Senegal’s political leaders.” (TIME, Alex Perry)

Lifting Africa from a mineral ‘curse’ – For 10 years now, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has aimed to put an end to the “paradox of plenty; [that] Africa is abundant with minerals . . . [while] more than half of the continent’s 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day.” Europe and the U.S. have recently moved “toward a mandatory rule that their oil, gas, and mining companies must disclose payments made to foreign governments.” With the US SEC and the European Commission working side-by-side, they “will help provide a unified stand in setting a high moral bar for the world.” (CSM)

S. Africa in building push as economy set to slow – The Finance Minister of South Africa, Pravin Gordhan, said Wednesday that the South African government hopes to boost the predicted economic growth rate of 2.7% by conducting a “massive building drive” to improve infrastructure. This 2.7% outlook “puts Africa’s biggest economy well below regional forecasts, and far below the seven percent that officials say is needed to reduce unemployment and poverty in one of the world’s most unequal societies.” (AFP, Justine Gerardy)

Getting Somalia Right This Time – David Cameron will convene an international meeting on Somalia this Thursday, in an effort to stop piracy, uproot terrorism, relieve famine and end a civil war with the use of Western ships, U.S. drones, African soldiers and international money. While all commendable ideas, Alex de Waal believes that they will be unsuccessful. The international community must stop insisting on establishing a traditional government in Somalia, and instead “support what already functions well in Somalia: the vibrant middle class and Somaliland,” while providing “investment partnerships and diplomatic recognition.” (NYTimes, Alex de Waal)

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