New in Africa Renewal
Here are the latest stories and news from the January 2013 issue of Africa Renewal magazine.
5 December 2012
COVER STORY
Opportunities and pitfalls in a rapidly expanding relationship
Also in this issue
Stabilizing Somalia: a new chapter begins
As Somalia rises from the ashes of war, its new leaders brace up for huge challenges that lie ahead
What went wrong? Lessons from Malawi’s food crisis
Once a breadbasket, Malawi finds itself in food crisis. What went wrong? And why investment in agriculture is a smart thing to do
Politics of succession: coping when leaders die
When African leaders die in office, politics of succession can be heated. Why do some countries get it right and others wrong?
Reconstructive surgery brings hope to survivors of genital cutting
New advances in reconstructive surgery help survivors of female genital mutilation live normal lives
Ghana’s ‘new path’ for handling oil revenue
Determined that its newly discovered oil will not be a curse, Ghana puts in place policies for efficient and transparent management of natural resources
‘Ensure that everyone benefits from economic gains’
Exclusive Interview with Maged Abdelaziz, UN special adviser on Africa
After Africa’s wars, a ‘new day’ for building peace
Exclusive interview with Judy Cheng-Hopkins, head of Peacebuilding Support
Africa Wired: Texting your way to health
UN launches ‘mHealth’ initiative to fight diseases
Book Review: Women and Leadership in West Africa
Filomina Chioma Steady argues that female leadership can “humanize the state”
The Energy Centre of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in collaboration with the management of the university has organised a Special Seminar Series for the eight flag bearers of the 2012 General Elections. The Seminar Series which is in two sections is under the theme “Energy for Prosperity.”
Find out more on the KNUST website
ECREEE and Partners Receive Grant for Dry Concentrating Solar Power Project
In the framework of the African Union Commission Research Grants Open Call for Proposals - 2011, the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in collaboration with l’Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et l’Environnement (2iE) from Burkina Faso, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) from Ghana and SIREA-ENERGIE (SIREA) from France, have been awarded a grant for a research project entitled: Development of a Cost-effective, modular and Dry Concentrating Solar Power for Africa: Design and Test of Components.
Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings
Rawlings: Over-Reliance On Foreign Investment Makes Africa Vulnerable
ECOWAS REGIONAL BIOENERGY FORUM
ECREEE in cooperation with its partners from the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) including Brazil, Ghana, the Netherlands, Sweden, USA, UNDP, UNEP, UN FAO, and the UN Foundation, are organising a regional bioenergy forum from 19th – 22rd March 2012 in Bamako, Mali. The objective of the forum is to initiate an international dialogue and peer-to-peer learning to support the ECOWAS Member States in developing their bioenergy strategies. The Regional Forum will provide information and promote discussion on the following topics:
- Economic, Environmental and Social benefits and challenges of bioenergy;
- Means to simultaneously promote food and energy security through Integrated Food-Energy Systems and Agro-forestry;
- Means to alleviate the negative health and environmental effects from using traditional fuelwood for cooking by transitioning to modern bioenergy and fostering improved forest management; and
- Policy Tools from UNEP, UN FAO and the Global Bioenergy Partnership that can promote the creation of a sustainable bioenergy sector that is a driver of economic growth and improves environmental and social conditions.
“One of the main objectives assigned to NEPAD as the implementing and coordinating agency of the African Union is to contribute to lifting 400 million African people out of poverty…” says NEPAD’s Mayaki
More informed international engagement with African states is becoming increasingly important for preventing global conflict and for securing future growth. The Africa Programme has continued to strengthen its position as a world-leading centre for independent political expertise on Sub-Saharan Africa, and 2011 has already been a record year for us with over 70 research events, 11 publications and around 30 articles and meeting summaries, in addition to scores of contributions to media outlets around the world.
In 2011 the Africa Programme team has so far carried out field research and related activities in Angola, Brazil, Belgium, Burundi, China, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Germany, Nigeria, Rwanda, Spain, Sudan and Turkey. Widespread (though targeted) dissemination of our research findings amongst governments, businesses, academia and civil society actors internationally remains central to our growing influence. Nearly all Africa Programme output remains free for everyone thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, who have grown in number in recent months reflecting both the increasing level of interest in Africa and our growing activity and influence. Several new contributors are listed below.
Below is a small selection of outputs you may have missed from the first half of 2011. A fuller list is available is on our website.
Ghana’s First Oil
An in-depth look at extractive issues in Africa as Ghana becomes an oil producer
A collection of reports and meeting transcripts to coincide with South Sudan’s referendum
Green Revolutions for Sub-Saharan Africa?
Briefing Paper
Diana Hunt and Michael Lipton, January 2011
Emerging Agents of Change? Africa and International Negotiations
Meeting Summary
Chatham House, February 2011
The President of Liberia on the Challenges of Post-War Reconstruction
Meeting Transcript
Chatham House, June 2011
The Conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement: US Perspectives and Plicy Goals in Sudan
Transcript - Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, USA
Chatham House, March 2011
Scotland and Wales in Africa: Opportunities for a Coordinated UK Approach to Development
Programme Paper
Adjoa Anyimadu, March 2011
Somali Investment in Kenya
Briefing Paper
Farah Abdulsamed, March 2011
Nigeria’s 2011 Elections
Various resources on Nigeria brought together ahead of landmark elections in the country
EU-Africa Relations: The Emerging Role of the European External Action Service
Meeting Summary
Chatham House, May 2011
UK-South Africa Relations and the Bilateral Forum
Programme Paper
Markus Weimer and Alex Vines, June 2011
Angola: Assessing Risks to Stability
A CSIS Report
Alex Vines and Markus Weimer, July 2011
