CNN: What will four more years of Barack Obama mean for Africa? — Support for Obama as “Africa’s son” is a common theme among people of the continent. Yet America’s previous president, George W. Bush, has historically done more for Africa than his predecessor. How Obama will define his position on Africa during his second term is still to be seen. (Tolu Ogunlesi)
NYT: As Coal Boosts Mozambique, the Rural Poor Are Left Behind — When a billion dollar coal mining deal was struck in Mozambique, the government asked rural farmers to move to a new location, with equal land, new houses and enough food to last them for five years. Yet, those promises left them in small, leaky houses, barren land, a lack of food and too far from employment opportunities. While development comes to Africa, in many instances, it seems to be only going to certain areas and certain people. (Lydia Polgreen)
VOA: Nigerian Flood Victims at Risk of Waterborne Diseases — Heavy rains and flooding in Nigeria have caused untold damage in recent months, crippling local populations as entire riverside communities are washing away and flooding farmland. A side of effect of the floods has also come to light as the risk for waterborne diseases have skyrocketed. (Lisa Schlein)
Devex: Foreign assistance will remain a key portion of the president’s agenda – With four more years added to the president’s roster, there are few in the administration who believe that foreign assistance will undergo any major cuts or changes in the coming term. (Rolf Rosenkranz)
Businessweek: What Rising TV Ownership Reveals About Africa’s Future — How exactly to measure Africa’s growth has always been in question. In some areas, the poor still grow poorer as the rich grow richer, which begs the question as to whether or not statistics and numbers previously calculated about Africa’s growing prosperity is at all accurate. Yet some find that measuring consumption of novelties such as televisions, may show a number closer to Africa’s actual state. (Charles Kenny)
