All Africa
Diplomats meet in London to talk Somalia, but where are the women?If women aren't part of the political process in Somalia, they can't be a part of the outcome, notes guest blogger Jina Moore.
Somalia: For once, some optimismThe UN beefs up an African Union-led peacekeeper mission and Ethiopian troops take the town of Baidoa, as delegates at a London conference contemplate the future of Somalia.
Will a London conference help set Somalia on path to peace?Somalia aid groups and experts welcome renewed international attention, but warn that a focus on either state-building or military action alone could make things worse rather than better.
Islamist attacks draw Nigeria and US military closerDealing with Islamist groups such as Nigeria's Boko Haram will require more than a purely military approach, although Nigeria welcomes training from the US military's Africa Command. 聽
Johannesburg no longer a no-go for tourists, investorsJohannesburg has a reputation for high crime, but efforts to rejuvenate the South African city are having an impact.- Eritrean opposition takes its politics onlineOpposition leader Mohammed Ali Ibrahim disappeared this week, and opposition-run websites wasted little time in disseminating information in multiple languages.
Will 2012 be the Year of the African Despot, again?Senegal's Wade plans to run for president, despite a constitutional ban. Zimbabwe's Mugabe is banning NGOs ahead of presidential polls in 2013.聽- Congo army reclaims two mines from rebel groupsCongolese civil society and mining associations say these mines should now be guarded by specially trained mining police to better guarantee the end of conflict minerals.
Africa Rising: Ethiopia moves to diversify exportsIn an effort to move beyond just coffee, Ethiopia now exports leather, vegetables, flowers, and yes, the occasional bottle of wine.聽- Ugandan minister raids gay-rights workshopUganda's parliament has taken up once more a bill that imposes tough sentences on homosexuals. A raid on a gay-rights workshop may show government support for the bill.聽
Did Qaddafi downfall prompt Mali's Tuareg revolt?Mali's military has been training to take on Al Qaeda insurgents, but the latest revolt by Mali's nomadic Tuareg people seems inspired by an influx of former Qaddafi fighters and arms.- Nigeria's new police chief vows crackdown on corruptionNigeria's acting inspector general Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar admits that Nigerian police have committed extrajudicial killings and run criminal rackets. That will change, he says.
Will President Wade push Senegal toward an uprising?Abdoulaye Wade's bid for a third term as Senegal's president has raised the possibility of a popular uprising or violence in a country previously seen as one of Africa's greatest success stories.聽- Rumblings of renewed militancy continue in Bayelsa, NigeriaThe violence seen in the lead-up to the gubernatorial election could be just the beginning of trouble in the Niger Delta, says guest blogger Alex Thurston.
Why Ethiopia's authoritarian style gets a Western nodEthiopia is a geostrategically important ally in the West's efforts to battle extremism in the Horn of Africa. Western leaders have also emphasized its progress in battling poverty.
Rapper 50 Cent joins battle against Somali hungerThe multimillionaire rap star 50 Cent took a tour of a displacement camp inside Somalia to raise awareness on hunger. Does it help when celebrities do good?
Nigeria: is the recent oil violence connected to upcoming elections?Group known for bombing oil pipelines has allegedly returned to the Niger Delta, just in time for Saturday's gubernatorial elections in President Goodluck Jonathan's home state.- Batwing: an African superhero for an American audienceBatwing is an AIDS orphan and a former child soldier. Guest blogger Sipho Hlongwane says DC Comics's latest character is believable, but Africans seek a hero who reforms system from within.聽
Nokia publishes policy on African conflict mineralsNokia says it will not buy mineral products that benefit armed groups or those engaging in human rights abuses. Guest blogger Curt Hopkins asks how they will implement their policy.聽
Somalia's Al Shabab launches suicide attack ahead of talksCar bomb kills 15 in the government-controlled center of Mogadishu just weeks before Somali officials attend a London conference on long-term solutions to country's unrest.