Situation in Guinea

Nov 3rd, 2009 2:39 PM EST
By David Cole

Photo © SEYLLOU/AFP/Getty Images

Since seizing power earlier this year, Dadis Camara and the rest of the military junta ruling Guinea have become increasingly repressive and violent. On September 28, a protest against the regime ended with the military killing 157 civilians and injuring a further 1,200. Because of the violence and chaos, businesses are grinding to a halt and schools have been closed. His actions are actively undermining the fragile development gains of recent years and hold no promise of a better future for Guinea.

The international community has started to respond. The Economic Community of West African States, European Union, African Union, and US have all imposed arms sanctions in response to the recent rise in violence. Although the regime has yet to step aside and agree to hold fair and open elections, these sanctions are an important first step and help isolate it.

We’ll be keeping our eyes on the situation in Guinea, and if we need to take action, you’ll hear from us straight away.

No clear winner

Oct 23rd, 2009 4:21 PM EST
By Beth Adler

On Monday, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation announced that they would not award their $5 million prize for excellence in African leadership this year. The Foundation, created by Sudanese telecommunications mogul Mo Ibrahim, has awarded the prize for the past two years to encourage responsible, democratic leadership across Africa. The prize, given last year to former president of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye Mogae, is awarded to a former African leader who has demonstrated excellence in leadership, served their term in office within the limits set by the country’s constitution, and has left office in the last three years. The guidelines for the prize, however, stipulate that if there is no exceptional candidate in a given year, then the prize will not be awarded.

The prize is only one part of the Foundation’s larger effort to promote good governance and highlight leadership on the African continent; it acts as an effective complement to the Ibrahim Index of African Governance. The Index, the third iteration of which was released recently, is a comprehensive ranking of African governments. In the 2009 Index, each country is measured by 84 indicators grouped into four categories: Safety and Security, Participation and Human Rights, Sustainable Economic Opportunity, and Human Development.

Overall, Southern Africa was the best performing region with Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Lesotho all included in the top 10. Southern African country Mauritius claimed the top spot in the rankings, coming in first in all four categories, followed by Cape Verde, Seychelles and Botswana. North Africa was the second-best overall performer, followed by West Africa and East Africa. According to the index, Central Africa was the worst-performing region on the continent with all seven of its countries scoring outside the top 20. Somalia ranked as the worst-governed nation in Africa, behind Zimbabwe and Chad. Rwanda was ranked surprisingly poorly in this year’s index: the country dropped to 32 from its place at 18 last year.

This year’s index includes data from both 2007 and 2008, making it one of the most current measurements of African governance. It also includes new indicators as well as a new framework for assessing governance comprehensively on the continent. For the first time, rather than focusing only on sub-Saharan Africa, the 2009 index includes measurements for North Africa. The index now measures all 53 African countries, allowing for a look at governance in Africa as a whole. Paul Collier, author of the Bottom Billion and Director of the Center for the Study of African Economies at the University of Oxford praised the Ibrahim index, lauding its comprehensive and unbiased nature as well as the fact that “it is an exclusively African undertaking.”

In an op-ed released on Monday, Ibrahim discussed the importance of African governance, saying: “Ultimately, both the index and the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, the $5m prize we award to former African leaders, are about improving the lives of Africans through better governance and excellence in leadership.” The work of the Mo Ibrahim foundation, both through the prize and the Index on governance, is extremely important in highlighting the crucial issue of good governance in Africa. According to the 2009 Index about half of African countries did improve this year. However, having no clear winner for the prize indicates how much more work there is to do.

Professor Wangari Maathai on the radio

May 29th, 2009 8:29 PM EST
By Jessica Gomez-Duran

Professor Wangari Maathai spoke on the Today Programme this morning on BBC Radio 4. She founded the Green Belt Movement and is the only African woman to have won the Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai argues that good governance is absolutely essential for development: “I’ve come to the conviction, unless we fix governance, the rest will not be fixed.”

For this to happen, it needs African leaders to show commitment. She goes on to say that the African Union has an important role to play in all this. She specifically mentions President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, who is keen to make the African Union more democratic.

-Jessica Gomez-Duran

Mo Ibrahim: Good governance will bolster African aid

May 29th, 2009 5:30 PM EST
By Chris Scott

In the Financial Times, Mo Ibrahim argues that while investment and good governance will ultimately solve Africa’s problems, “effective aid has an important role to play in the quest for sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.” Ibrahim offers this assessment in light of the recent debate about aid in the wake of Dambisa Moyo’s book Dead Aid. Ibrahim argues for a “holistic approach to development in Africa that is centred on good governance.”

Excerpts below, full piece here

The critical argument should not be about aid or no aid – no one can question the necessity of pure humanitarian aid as long as it satisfies basic good governance criteria. The argument should be about where to focus aid to achieve the best returns for donor taxpayers and aid recipients. I propose two areas to focus aid: the hardware of Africa, infrastructure and regional integration; and human software, in the form of education and health.

The reality is that most African countries are sub-scale and fundamentally unable to compete in a global market. If economies the size of the UK, Germany and France find regional integration necessary to ensure growth, then 53 un-integrated African states have a competitive disadvantage. This fragmentation is evident in Africa’s transportation infrastructure, geared towards trade outside rather than within the continent. Africa needs to integrate its economies and open their borders to each other. Development aid can help these efforts and facilitate intra-African trade. This capital investment cannot succeed without investment in education and health.

Finally, while debate on development aid is of great importance, more of this energy should be spent on climate justice. Africans have emitted the least carbon per capita but will have to face the greatest consequences of its emission. A worthier use of the time of these great African and other economists is to devise a solution that allows the continent to meet the adaptation and mitigation costs of climate change.

-Chris Scott

Zimbabwe Human Rights Defenders Struggling in the Face of Government Oppression

Feb 19th, 2009 2:44 PM EST
By ONE.Partners

Check out this post from our friends at Amnesty International USA.

-Margaret McDonnell

My work with Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) brings me in close communication with the brave persons fighting for their civil, economic and social rights in Zimbabwe. This includes labor rights activists and civil society members, but the majority of this contact centers on a group of women human rights defenders. AIUSA chose this group of women as a special focus case of Individuals at Risk for 2008-2009. In my work, I have the privilege of interacting with Jenni Williams, co-founder of Women of Zimbabwe Arise. Jenni shares inspirational words about the power of activists around the world to keep her safe from government brutality. She states that knowing her plight is broadcast around the world every time she is imprisoned for asking for such things as the equitable distribution of food aid, provides comfort for her in her cold, dank prison cell because she knows people are mobilizing to secure her release and safety.

Through peaceful protest Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), and their sibling organization, Men of Zimbabwe Arise, focus attention on the problems in Zimbabwe that directly affect them and their families, such as food security issues, freedom of speech and assembly, health care and corruption. Jenni has been imprisoned more than 20 times, often beaten and harmed while detained, and yet continues to bravely march forward to provide a voice and motivation for all Zimbabweans struggling for a better life. Everyone has certain people in their lives they admire and respect for their skills, talents or other qualities. For me, that person is Jenni. She is a rock star. She marches out onto the streets of Zimbabwe, knowing she could be harmed for her beliefs but does it anyway in the hopes of improving the lives of all her fellow citizens.

Last week over 100 WOZA members were arrested and detained for marching in Harare and Bulawayo. Jenni and WOZA’s other co-founder, Magodonga Mahlangu, were not arrested in the demonstrations, but will be brought before the courts on February 26 for charges of disturbing the peace related to a protest in October 2008. Amnesty International USA currently has two actions you can take as we work to create safe operating space for all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe. The first action asks activists to send Valentines to Mugabe, showing that love is the greater power. The second action, found here, calls on the Minister of Justice to drop the trumped up charges against Jenni and Magodonga and not continue with their trial. Both of these actions will continue for the next two weeks.

Finally, you can see a documentary clip of Jenni speaking about the challenges of operating as a human rights defender in Zimbabwe. I hope you take the time to watch the video, are as inspired by these brave women as I, and will participate in these actions.

-Sarah E. Hager, Chair, Southern Africa Co-Group, Amnesty International USA

What can Europe and North America do for development?

Feb 13th, 2009 11:08 AM EST
By Beth Adler

On Tuesday, the Transatlantic Taskforce on Development released their first-ever report. The Taskforce – the only one of its kind – brings together individuals from the United States, Canada, and Europe, representing governments, NGOs, and the private sector, to discuss global development issues. The Taskforce was assembled by the German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; ONE’s Executive Director, Jamie Drummond, is a member of the 24-person Taskforce.

The Taskforce’s report presents policy ideas on which North America and Europe can collaborate in order to pursue a broad development agenda, even in the face of the current global financial crisis. The authors laud past moments of international consensus around development – like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - but are adamant that without spurring economic growth in developing countries, and meeting Official Development Assistance (ODA) and trade commitments, recent gains in combating poverty are likely to be reversed.

Meeting the funding commitments previously made to developing countries – and demonstrating that aid does work – is particularly essential in light of the global financial crisis and the threat of decreased development assistance. As the report notes, “It will be increasingly vital to continue to demonstrate that aid actually works, and to show results and impact. A clear message of how the development agenda is linked to the interests of those in developed countries must be repeated and reinforced.”

The Taskforce report provids policy recommendations in four areas in which transatlantic cooperation is necessary for achieving global development goals. It emphasizes that the policy environment in which development takes place must be based on trust and inclusion among developed and developing countries, and encourages policy coherence between North America and Europe. The following is from the GMF press release on the Taskforce meeting:

(more…)

Breaking News from Zimbabwe

Jan 30th, 2009 2:49 PM EST
By Chris Scott

The New York Times is reporting that Zimbabwe’s opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has decided to join a power-sharing government as prime minister with President Robert Mugabe. This decision was reached unanimously at a meeting of the opposition party’s leadership in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. The Times reports that it will “usher in a new phase in the opposition’s decade-long struggle against Mr. Mugabe, 84, and his almost 30-year grip on power.” We’ll bring you any further developments as they occur.

Excerpts from the breaking news below, full report here

Mr. Tsvangirai now faces the daunting job of reviving Zimbabwe’s moribund economy and rescuing an increasingly famished, sick and impoverished population with a partner, Mr. Mugabe, whose security forces have viciously beaten Mr. Tsvangirai and thousands of his supporters over the past two years and abducted and allegedly tortured dozens more in just the last few months.

But after more than four months of deadlock and uncertainty following Mr. Tsvangirai’s signing of the power-sharing deal with Mr. Mugabe, his followers reacted with hope that he might be able to stop the country’s accelerating downward spiral.

The challenges are monumental, and the distrust of Mr. Mugabe is so deep that it is uncertain whether the United States and European nations will lift sanctions and infuse substantial new aid for the reconstruction of Zimbabwe until they have solid evidence that he will agree to sweeping changes in the country’s disastrous economic policies, the restoration of the rule of law and democracy.

-Chris Scott

Governance improving in two-thirds of African countries

Oct 6th, 2008 2:56 PM EST
By Nora Coghlan

Almost two thirds of sub-Saharan African governments (31 out of 48) have recorded improvements in performance, according to new data from the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which was released in Ethiopia today by the Ibrahim Foundation. The Index ranks African governments based on the quality of services they provide to their citizens, using an extensive set of 57 indicators that range from rule of law and security to healthcare and infrastructure. Mauritius topped this year’s index, with a score of 85.1 out of 100, followed by Seychelles, Cape Verde, Botswana and South Africa. Liberia was applauded for making the most improvement since last year’s index. 2006 data were used in this year’s index (because of a lag in data collection), meaning that recent developments in many African countries may not reflected in the rankings.

The Ibrahim Foundation was established by telecommunications mogul Mo Ibrahim, who has long been an advocate for improved governance and accountability in sub-Saharan Africa.

As Reuters reports, Ibrahim made the following statement at the launch:

“People look at headlines from two or three countries and forget there are 55 countries in Africa and in most of them life is normal,” Mo Ibrahim told Reuters during the launch of his foundation’s index in Ethiopia.

“Governance performance across a large majority of African countries is improving…I hope these results will be used as a tool by Africa’s citizens to hold their governments to account.”

The Ibrahim Foundation also awards an annual prize of $5 million to an African leader (executive Head of State or Government) who has demonstrated excellence in leadership. Last year’s winner was former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, who has been credited for bringing peace and democracy to a country that had been ravaged by civil war for over 17 years.

You can read more about the Index here and the Prize here.

-Nora Coghlan

Fighting corruption in Kenya

Aug 22nd, 2008 2:58 PM EST
By Chris Scott

News of a great development in Kenya ran on the BBC.com and in other media outlets earlier this week. On Wednesday, anti-corruption czar John Githongo returned to Kenya after four years of self-exile. During his tenure as Kenya’s secretary for ethics and governance, Githongo earned the reputation for being tough on corruption— in 2005, one of his investigations forced the resignation of several ministers over a scandal that involved state contracts worth more than $1 billion being secretly awarded to non-existent firms. After exposing the scam, Githongo fled to the UK because of threats to his life.

Githongo’s return is an important step forward for Kenya’s new coalition government, which was put in place after controversial elections set off two months of violence earlier this year. He is back for only two weeks, but his return (at the invitation of the new government) is hopefully a sign that Kenya’s new government is serious about tackling corruption and addressing some of the underlying issues that caused the election crisis. Speaking to the Kenya Human Rights Commission on Wednesday, Githongo submitted the controversial proposal of offering amnesty as a means of closing old corruption cases and moving Kenya forward.

Whistle-blowers like Githongo are vital to beating poverty in Africa and across the world. The fight against corruption and efforts to promote transparency and good governance help ensure that aid is spent well and channeled to the people who need it most. ONE is also proud to note that John Githongo currently sits on our Policy Advisory Board and serves as an important advisor on issues of accountability and governance.

Excerpt below, full piece here.

Addressing a public forum on fighting graft in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, Mr Githongo said economic crimes must be resolved quickly and transparently. “The temptation to subject economic crimes to prolonged processes and the deliberation of committees not only delays justice but makes ultimate accountability less likely,” he said. Mr Githongo noted that there was a myth that corruption does not really matter as long as the economy is growing. “If you have high economic growth [and] a high level of corruption… then corruption causes political contradictions that leads to the kind of difficulties we had in Kenya at the end of last year,” he said.

-Chris Scott

New Global Corruption Report

Jul 24th, 2008 3:00 PM EST
By ONE.Partners

Embezzlement and kick-backs, bid-rigging and extortion, manipulated water policies and corrupted enforcement of rules against water pollution plague the provision of drinking water, irrigation and hydropower all around the world. This is the key message of “the Global Corruption Report 2008: Corruption in the Water Sector.”

With more than thirty experts and practitioners exploring corruption issues in all areas of the water sector, the report is a first of its kind and its central insight is as clear as it is alarming: Corruption in the water sector is a root cause and consequences of a global water crisis that leaves more than one billion people without access to safe drinking water and poses a major impediment to inclusive human development and environmental sustainability. Fixing the global water crisis requires fixing corruption in the sector. A wide array of case studies from all world regions shows how rampant and devastating corruption is in the water sector:

• In India, for example, corruption is estimated to inflate the costs for water infrastructures by 25 to 45%. In global context such a corruption burden means that achieving the Millennium Development Goals in water will be almost US$50 billion more expensive.

• In Kenya, 66% of households in a survey report that they have experienced corruption in water service provision.

• In Mexico the largest 20% of farmers reap more than 70% of irrigation subsidies.

• In China, Indonesia and Zambia, fraud and manipulation have plagued resettlement programs in big dam projects.

But there is hope. Taking action against corruption in the water sector is possible.

The Report also presents a large number of innovative initiatives that have had a demonstrable effect on tackling corruption in the sector. More transparency and citizen participation, more collective action and stronger accountability mechanisms are identified as the basic ingredients for rolling back corruption in the water sector and for making water governance work for sustainable human development.

-Dr. Dieter Zinnbauer Chief Editor - Global Corruption Report Policy and Research Department TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL