Young Professionals in Foreign Policy - Africa

Strengthening a Weak Link in the Global Security Chain: Regional Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:50:38 -0700

Introduction [1]

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) is one in a series of measures taken to address threats to the political and social order deriving from access to, or use of, weapons of mass destruction (WMD), related materials, and means of delivery. The resolution is distinct from existing treaty-based nonproliferation and arms control regime components, such as the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) that govern the behavior of states. In contrast to these treaties, resolution 1540 in one instrument, covers all three types of weapon and reaches beyond the state to focus explicitly on the risk that non-state actors, in particular terrorist organizations bent on undermining, and in some cases supplanting, civil society might "acquire, develop, traffic in or use nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery." 1540 also goes beyond existing anti-terrorism conventions that collectively impose similar though less comprehensive obligations on convention parties in that, being adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the resolution is binding on all member states of the United Nations.

The Great Game in Africa: Washington's Emerging Containment Strategy

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:01:04 -0700

The African continent is quickly becoming a proxy battleground for Washington and Beijing, as the latter's appetite for emerging markets and raw materials grows. In July 2008, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that "China's full court press to establish influence and connections in Africa and Latin America may be seismic in its future implications for the United States." China's burgeoning influence in Africa is now squarely on the Pentagon's radar screen. In October 2007, the United States affirmed its commitment to the continent by announcing the establishment of a new combatant command: Africa Command, known by its acronym in defense circles as AFRICOM. While Washington policymakers deny that Beijing's behavior is the rationale for its establishment, it appears as though AFRICOM marks the beginning of a new containment strategy aimed at curtailing Chinese power and influence in Africa. Since October 2007, AFRICOM was operating under the auspices of U.S. European Command, but last week, on October 1, AFRICOM officially became the Defense Department's tenth unified combatant command.

The role of African regional and subregional organizations in implementing Resolution 1540

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:47:53 -0700

Introduction
In April 2006, the Security Council passed Resolution 1673. The resolution
extended the 1540 Committee’s mandate for an additional two years and
invited the committee to “explore with States and international, regional
and subregional organizations experience-sharing and lessons learned
in the areas covered by resolution 1540 (2004), and the availability of
programmes which might facilitate the implementation of resolution 1540”.[1]
In February the following year the Security Council debated ways to
enhance implementation of 1540 and again expressed the need to further

Of Bush and His "peace Lover" Uganda's Museveni

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:20:07 -0700

Of Bush and his 'peace lover' Uganda's Museveni

BY MATOVU A. TWAHA

SO, as they held a joint press conference in the ongoing UN meeting in New York, the US President, George Bush could not but say this of his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni: "He's been a strong leader on a number of fronts. First, he's been very helpful in solving regional conflicts on the continent of Africa, and I want to thank you for your leadership."

And what is next on the front? "Secondly, you gave me great confidence when it came to realising the proper strategy (of Abstain, Be faithful or use a Contraceptive) in dealing with HIV/AIDS." This is undisputed. Museveni has done tremendously in this area in a country with a high level of promiscuity, where some people can swap lovers for a week. Period.

Let the People Flee Darfur

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:55:05 -0700

Let the people flee Darfur There are few options for ending the genocide in Darfur. The international community could impose tighter sanctions or bomb Khartoum until the Sudanese government agrees to sign a peace agreement with the rebels. But neither of these solutions seems viable. The only reasonable way to stop the genocide in that unhappy region is to allow its people to emigrate somewhere - be it to Kenya or Kansas. The people must be allowed to leave because their way of life is disappearing. Land that was once plenty enough for both the region's black farmers and its Arab nomads is now turning into desert wasteland.

Reporting live from my Nokia N810

Wed, 21 May 2008 03:07:47 -0700

Formerly tools of the tech savvy, two new social networking trends are becoming mainstream – and changing how citizens react to crisis situations. Moblogging (short for “mobile” and “blogging”) and microblogging allow for instant updates via cell phone to a web interface. During the recent Kenyan elections and Myanmar cyclone relief efforts, moblogging has been used to provide valuable on-ground information to circumvent autocratic governments.

In the aftermath of the Kenyan elections, the formerly free press was suddenly under the control of the state. Leading Kenyan bloggers (including Kenyan Pundit and White African) gathered and created a mashup, Ushahidi.com, to gather real time reports of major events. Updates included reports of police brutality, bonfires, and peaceful events (such as meetings or candlelight vigils). The blogs then used information to report on the post-election crisis. A good summary of this coverage can be found at Global Voices Online.

Keeping Kenya Christian

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:04:04 -0800

Western Christian missionaries have been peddling their wares in East Africa for centuries. Although Kenya is 80% Christian, the religion's mix with local culture has brought about a curious sort of Christianity. Locals absorb the message of salvation, but pray at Mt Kenya for a good harvest and the cleansing of curses. Some view this as a warping of Christianity. But evangelists find it tempting.

In 2007 there were over 6,000 separate churches in Kenya, and 2,000 more waiting for registration. Christian messages are ubiquitous, yet often oddly placed. Matatus, the reckless passenger vans with dents and missing mirrors, bear "Jesus loves you" in fresh paint; sheds advertising "Maximum Miracles" look for drunkards who slip out from the tavern next door. And locals cheerfully accept the white man's deity, but are less keen on his Mea Culpa inculcations.

Soft Power on Safari

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:42:35 -0800

Soft power on safari

Being American in Africa usually comes with plenty of baggage. Elders and politicians blame their troubles on your trade policy. In the Islamic north, Americans are seen as blasphemous bullies; almost everywhere, they are seen as unapologetic polluters.

In Kenya, things are different. Americans are welcomed into hotels, into capital markets and, as Dick Morris recently proved, into presidential campaigns. Whether the credit goes more to the State Department's skills or to Kenya's natural affinity, the alliance should be studied for lessons the US could apply elsewhere as it vies for influence in a difficult region.

All Locals Are Politics

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:37:37 -0800

All locals are politics

In Kenya this month the bosses are away from their corner offices and the professors absent from their podiums. Taking their beach side vacations? Quite the opposite: they are working to secure their next promotion. Many who owe their post to politics, indeed, most people with serious political connections, will be busy campaigning until the presidential election in December, when either Mwai Kibaki of the Party of National Unity (PNU) will hang on to power, or Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will replace him. Hobnobbing with community leaders on the coast and in Rift Valley, you find that all locals are politics.

Alone Again, Naturally

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:35:20 -0700

New peace talks aimed at resolving the crisis in Darfur began this weekend in Libya. The prospects don’t look good. Although the Sudanese government agreed to a cease-fire on Saturday, leaders of some of the most potent rebel groups did not even show up.

Congress, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and President Bush have all called the situation a genocide. But while the U.S. has given more than $2 billion in aid since 2005, according to Bush, at the same time it’s changed its military position in Africa. You have to ask, is the U.S. repeating its go-it alone style of foreign policy in yet another hotspot?

An argument over China and the West in Africa

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:51:25 -0700

I got into a passionate discussion with a friend after going to Church this Sunday. The friend who I was debating with is from Hong Kong and our "discussion" revolved around the approaches that have been used by China and the West in their economic relationship with Africa. His bottom line is that the strategies used by both sides is essentially the same-that both sides have sought to exploit Africa in every which way and as quickly as possible.

In his view the main difference is that the West is more sophisticated in their exploitation and that their efforts at encouraging good governance and human rights simply serves as good PR (with China being more "honest" about just simply wanting to get at the natural resources). I agreed that both sides were looking out first for their own national interests in Africa and that the West was not entirely altruistic. However, I argued that the West's focus on getting African countries to improve their human rights and governance frameworks would ultimately serve the continent's long term interests better and demonstrated a concern with moving the relationship beyond one of dependence.

Sleeping with the Enemy: What’s Driving U.S. Policy toward Sudan?

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:16:27 -0700

In April 2005, Sallah Abdallah Gosh - one the key architects of the Darfur genocide and a cohort of Osama bin Laden during his time in Khartoum - made his journey to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia on a pre-arranged private jet. He was flown in by the U.S. government to participate in high-level meetings on U.S. counterterrorism initiatives.[i]

As head of Sudan’s security, Gosh is responsible for the unleashing of Arab militias, known as the Janjaweed, onto the non-Arab civilians of Darfur, fueling a counterinsurgency that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions. Over the past four years the conflict has evolved as a result of the divide-and-rule tactics of the Sudanese government. The two main rebel groups have splintered into several different factions that not only fight against the Janjaweed but also attack each other and target innocent civilians. As noted in ENOUGH’s June field report [ii] Khartoum has authorized the Janjaweed to broaden their targets to include not only non-Arab tribes such as the Fur, Zaghawa, and Massaliet, but also other Arabs, in an effort to claim land as compensation for their work as Khartoum’s proxy militia.

Khartoum Bombs and the World Debates:How to Confront Aerial Attacks in Darfur

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:16:18 -0700

As part of its continuing effort to crush Darfur's rebellion by attacking civilian populations purported to be supportive of the rebels, the Sudanese regime has again stepped up its aerial bombing campaign, the most definitive tactical advantage the government possesses.

Because the regime continues to bomb indiscriminately and because frustrations deepen around glacial forward movement in the peace process and in deploying the proposed AU-UN hybrid force, voices from across the political spectrum are clamoring for some kind of action. President Bush, former Prime Minister Blair, U.S. presidential candidates, members of parliament and Congress in Europe and the U.S., and advocacy organizations on both sides of the Atlantic have considered or called for the military enforcement of a no-fly zone.

Shooting Blanks at Sudan

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 07:10:19 -0700

President Bush’s announcement today that his administration will begin implementing a set of punitive measures– its oft-threatened “Plan B�? – against the Sudanese Government could have marked a real turning point in U.S. policy to end what the president calls genocide. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.

With international diplomatic efforts to halt atrocities in Darfur at a standstill, the President announced three measures intended to change the calculations of the regime in Khartoum and intransigent rebel leaders. First, the U.S. will add 31 Sudanese companies to a list of 130 that are already denied access to the U.S. financial system. Second, the U.S. will freeze the assets of three of the many individuals responsible for the violence in Darfur. And finally, it will “seek�? a resolution at the United Nations Security Council to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and expand an ineffective arms embargo that has been violated with impunity.

Unrest in the Niger Delta

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 07:53:13 -0800

There is a new contributor to the flux in oil prices. Over the past year, rebels in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta have proven repeatedly that they can affect global prices. The US administration has continually deemed oil in West Africa—whose largest producer is Nigeria—to be a “strategic national interest.” It is time to match policy with rhetoric. The US needs to protect oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

Critics argue that such efforts ignore the greater solution to US energy concerns: reduce consumption. This is true, but it will take time. For now, the US is dependent on oil. However, the US can take steps to limit exposure to import disruptions, and the Niger Delta is a good place to start.