This video shows succintly why Africa (specifically West Africa) needs maritime security. The livelyhood and future of many of these poor countries such as Sierra Leone are literally being robbed on a daily basis.
This is just one reason programs such as APS (Africa Partnership Station) have the capability to be a transformative force in Africa.
Deadly Catch from Environmental Justice Foundation on Vimeo.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Poet of the Week from Nigeria: Niyi Osundare
Poet of the Week from Nigeria: Niyi Osundare
Osundare was born in Nigeria in 1947, and studied at the Universities of Ibadan, Leeds and York (Canada). Today he is a Professor of English at Universities of New Orleans and Ibadan. A very political poet and a dedicated campaigner for human rights, his award-winning Selected Poems were published by Heinemann in 1992.
I SING OF CHANGE
W.B. Yeats"Sing on: somewhere, at some new moon, We’ll learn that sleeping is not death, Hearing the whole earth change its tune.”
- I sing
- of the beauty of Athens
- without its slaves
- Of a world free
- of kings and queens
- and other remnants
- of an arbitrary past
- Of earth
- with no sharp north
- or deep south
- without blind curtains
- or iron walls
- Of the end
- of warlords and armouries
- and prisons of hate and fear
- Of deserts treeing
- and fruiting
- after the quickening rains
- Of the sun radiating ignorance
- and stars informing
- nights of unknowing
- I sing of a world reshaped
FUUO Past Poets of the Week:
http://fuuo.blogspot.com/2012/05/african-poets-of-week-compilation.html
http://fuuo.blogspot.com/2012/05/african-poets-of-week-compilation.html
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Diplomat's Daily Quotable- L
Diplomat's Daily Quotable:
Leaders, incompetent enemy: "When the enemy is poorly led, finish him off fast. Do not give him time to discover more competent leadership by the process of elimination."
The above quote is in honor of Karate Kid-- 'put him in a bodybag Johnny!'
Leadership, essence of: "All fo the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership." -John Kenneth Galbraith
Galbraith was an influential intellectual as well as an Ambassador to India under Kennedy. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1946 from President Truman and from President Clinton in 2000.
Leaders, incompetent enemy: "When the enemy is poorly led, finish him off fast. Do not give him time to discover more competent leadership by the process of elimination."
The above quote is in honor of Karate Kid-- 'put him in a bodybag Johnny!'
Leadership, essence of: "All fo the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership." -John Kenneth Galbraith
Galbraith was an influential intellectual as well as an Ambassador to India under Kennedy. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1946 from President Truman and from President Clinton in 2000.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The Law of the Navy in their entirety
I thought today was as good as time as any for a throwback posting of the Laws of the Navy. I am pretty sure MIDN Buxton, Schulz or maybe Potts had me write these out 50 times at some point during Plebe Summer.
THE LAWS OF THE NAVY
by Adm. R. A. Hopwood, Royal Navy
Now these are the laws of the Navy,
Unwritten and varied they be;
And he who is wise will observe them,
Going down in his ship to the sea.
As naught may outrun the destroyer,
So it is with the law and its grip,
For the strength of a ship is the Service,
And the strength of the Service the ship.
Take heed what you say of your seniors,
Be your words spoken softly or plain,
Let a bird of the air tell the matter,
And so shall ye hear it again.
If you labour from morn until even,
And meet with reproof for your toil,
'Tis well, that the gun may be humbled
The compressor must check the recoil.
On the strength of one link in the cable,
Dependeth the might of the chain.
Who knows when thou may'st be tested?
So live that thou bearest the strain!
When a ship that is tired returneth,
With the signs of the seas showing plain;
Men place her in dock for a season,
And her speed she reneweth again.
So shall ye, if perchance ye grow weary,
In the uttermost parts of the sea,
Pray for leave, for the good of the Service,
As much and as oft as may be.
Count not upon certain promotion
But rather to gain it aspire;
Though the sightline may end on the target
There cometh perchance the miss-fire.
Can'st follow the track of the dolphin?
Or tell where the sea swallows roam?
Where Leviathan taketh his pastime?
What ocean he calleth his own?
So it is with the words of the rulers,
And the orders these words shall convey;
Every law is naught beside this one:
Thou shalt not criticise, but Obey.
Say the wise: How may I know their purpose?
Then acts without wherefore or why.
Stays the fool but one moment to question,
And the chance of his life passes by.
If ye win through an African jungle,
Unmentioned at home in the press,
Heed it not. No man seeth the piston,
But it driveth the ship none the less.
Do they growl? it is well. Be thou silent,
If the work goeth forward amain.
Lo! the gun throws the shot to a hair's breadth
And shouteth, yet none shall complain.
Do they growl, and the work be retarded?
It is ill, be whatever their rank.
The half-loaded gun also shouteth,
But can she pierce target with blank?
Doth the paintwork make war with the funnels
And the deck to the cannons complain?
Nay, they know that some soap and fresh water
Unites them as brothers again.
So ye, being heads of departments,
Do you growl with a smile on your lip,
Lest ye strive and in anger be parted,
And lessen the might of your ship.
Dost deem that thy vessel needs gilding,
And the dockyard forbears to supply?
Put thy hand in thy pocket and gild her --
There are those who have risen thereby.
Dost think in a moment of anger
'Tis well with thy seniors to fight?
They prosper, who burn in the morning,
The letters they wrote overnight.
For many are shelved and forgotten,
With nothing to thank for their fate,
But that on a half sheet of foolscap
A fool "Had the honour to state."
Should the fairway be crowded with shipping
Beating homeward the harbour to win,
It is meet that lest any should suffer,
The steamers pass cautiously in.
So thou, when thou nearest promotion,
And the peak that is gilded is nigh,
Give heed to words and thine actions,
Lest others be wearied thereby.
It is ill for the winners to worry,
Take thy fate as it comes, with a smile,
And when thou art safe in the harbour
They may envy, but will not revile.
Uncharted the rocks that surround thee,
Take heed that the channels thou learn,
Lest thy name serve to buoy for another
That shoal the "Court-Martial Return".
Though a Harveyised belt may protect her
The ship bears the scar on her side;'
'Tis well if the Court should acquit thee --
But 'twere best had'st thou never been tried.
MORAL
As the wave washes clear at the hawse pipe,
Washes aft, and is lost in the wake;
So shalt thou drop astern all unheeded
Such time as these laws ye forsake.
Take heed in your manner of speaking
That the language ye use may be sound,
In the list of the words of your choosing
"Impossible" may not be found.
Now these are the Laws of the Navy,
And many and mighty are they.
But the hull and the deck and the keel
And the truck of the law is -- OBEY.
THE LAWS OF THE NAVY
by Adm. R. A. Hopwood, Royal Navy
Now these are the laws of the Navy,
Unwritten and varied they be;
And he who is wise will observe them,
Going down in his ship to the sea.
As naught may outrun the destroyer,
So it is with the law and its grip,
For the strength of a ship is the Service,
And the strength of the Service the ship.
Take heed what you say of your seniors,
Be your words spoken softly or plain,
Let a bird of the air tell the matter,
And so shall ye hear it again.
If you labour from morn until even,
And meet with reproof for your toil,
'Tis well, that the gun may be humbled
The compressor must check the recoil.
On the strength of one link in the cable,
Dependeth the might of the chain.
Who knows when thou may'st be tested?
So live that thou bearest the strain!
When a ship that is tired returneth,
With the signs of the seas showing plain;
Men place her in dock for a season,
And her speed she reneweth again.
So shall ye, if perchance ye grow weary,
In the uttermost parts of the sea,
Pray for leave, for the good of the Service,
As much and as oft as may be.
Count not upon certain promotion
But rather to gain it aspire;
Though the sightline may end on the target
There cometh perchance the miss-fire.
Can'st follow the track of the dolphin?
Or tell where the sea swallows roam?
Where Leviathan taketh his pastime?
What ocean he calleth his own?
So it is with the words of the rulers,
And the orders these words shall convey;
Every law is naught beside this one:
Thou shalt not criticise, but Obey.
Say the wise: How may I know their purpose?
Then acts without wherefore or why.
Stays the fool but one moment to question,
And the chance of his life passes by.
If ye win through an African jungle,
Unmentioned at home in the press,
Heed it not. No man seeth the piston,
But it driveth the ship none the less.
Do they growl? it is well. Be thou silent,
If the work goeth forward amain.
Lo! the gun throws the shot to a hair's breadth
And shouteth, yet none shall complain.
Do they growl, and the work be retarded?
It is ill, be whatever their rank.
The half-loaded gun also shouteth,
But can she pierce target with blank?
Doth the paintwork make war with the funnels
And the deck to the cannons complain?
Nay, they know that some soap and fresh water
Unites them as brothers again.
So ye, being heads of departments,
Do you growl with a smile on your lip,
Lest ye strive and in anger be parted,
And lessen the might of your ship.
Dost deem that thy vessel needs gilding,
And the dockyard forbears to supply?
Put thy hand in thy pocket and gild her --
There are those who have risen thereby.
Dost think in a moment of anger
'Tis well with thy seniors to fight?
They prosper, who burn in the morning,
The letters they wrote overnight.
For many are shelved and forgotten,
With nothing to thank for their fate,
But that on a half sheet of foolscap
A fool "Had the honour to state."
Should the fairway be crowded with shipping
Beating homeward the harbour to win,
It is meet that lest any should suffer,
The steamers pass cautiously in.
So thou, when thou nearest promotion,
And the peak that is gilded is nigh,
Give heed to words and thine actions,
Lest others be wearied thereby.
It is ill for the winners to worry,
Take thy fate as it comes, with a smile,
And when thou art safe in the harbour
They may envy, but will not revile.
Uncharted the rocks that surround thee,
Take heed that the channels thou learn,
Lest thy name serve to buoy for another
That shoal the "Court-Martial Return".
Though a Harveyised belt may protect her
The ship bears the scar on her side;'
'Tis well if the Court should acquit thee --
But 'twere best had'st thou never been tried.
MORAL
As the wave washes clear at the hawse pipe,
Washes aft, and is lost in the wake;
So shalt thou drop astern all unheeded
Such time as these laws ye forsake.
Take heed in your manner of speaking
That the language ye use may be sound,
In the list of the words of your choosing
"Impossible" may not be found.
Now these are the Laws of the Navy,
And many and mighty are they.
But the hull and the deck and the keel
And the truck of the law is -- OBEY.
The Third Law of the Navy
One would think that General McChrystal (and his staff) would show more restraint when they knew what they said would most likely be published. I think this speaks to the type of Command Climate/Culture he allowed to permeate and exist.
It would be unfathomable for me to think of saying the same things to a reporter about my current (or any past) bosses/skippers/commodores. It's something an inexperienced ensign, midshipman, or junior enlisted might do. But for a 4-star and his staff to think that type of behavior is not only acceptable but funny--that's worrisome to me.
And for those who say, cut him some slack-these guys are the warfighters-with the boots on the ground-putting their lives at risk everyday-we couldn't know unless we were there fighting--I say those are BS excuses. Just because you are in combat doesn't mean ALL order and discipline go totally out the window...ESPECIALLY in front of a reporter.
It would be unfathomable for me to think of saying the same things to a reporter about my current (or any past) bosses/skippers/commodores. It's something an inexperienced ensign, midshipman, or junior enlisted might do. But for a 4-star and his staff to think that type of behavior is not only acceptable but funny--that's worrisome to me.
And for those who say, cut him some slack-these guys are the warfighters-with the boots on the ground-putting their lives at risk everyday-we couldn't know unless we were there fighting--I say those are BS excuses. Just because you are in combat doesn't mean ALL order and discipline go totally out the window...ESPECIALLY in front of a reporter.
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotables- K
Knowledge: "[An ambassador] must be an indefatigable reader, else he is sure to fail, as a soldier who should be indfferent to physical exercise." -Bishop Germonius, 1627
Knowledge of foreign nations: "The temper, qualities, and limitations of many a man can be divined on short acquaintance; those of a nation need longer contact." -J.J. Jusserand, 1924
Knowledge of foreign nations: "The temper, qualities, and limitations of many a man can be divined on short acquaintance; those of a nation need longer contact." -J.J. Jusserand, 1924
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable
Jokes: "Most jokes entertain through plays on words, double entendres, the clever alteration of clichés, anecdotes embellishing individual or group stereotypes, or surprise twists to apparently familiar stories...
So it is a rare joke that translates effectively across a linguistic or cultural divide. That is why interpreters generally wince when speakers being to tell one."
Jokes, friendship: "Shared laughter is a step toward friendship."
Justice, charity: "Charity is no substitute for justice withheld." -St. Augustine.
So it is a rare joke that translates effectively across a linguistic or cultural divide. That is why interpreters generally wince when speakers being to tell one."
Jokes, friendship: "Shared laughter is a step toward friendship."
Justice, charity: "Charity is no substitute for justice withheld." -St. Augustine.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Poet of the Week from Senegal: Senghor
Poet of the Week from Senegal: Senghor
This is based on Mofolo's fictionalized retelling of the Chaka story (in real life his wife outlived him) but it's supposed to demonstrate his willingness to sacrifice love for the sake of his country (and also his heartlessness)...regardless a graphic and well-written poem by Senegal's first president.
Noliwe
The weakness of the heart is holly...
Ah! You think that I never loved her
My Negress fair with palmoil, slender as a plume
Thighs of a starlet otter, of Kilimanjaro snow
Breasts of mellow rice-fields, hills of acacias
under the East Wind.
Noliwe with her arms of boas, lips of the adder
Noliwe, her eyes were constellations there is no
need of moon or drum
But her voice in my head and the feverous pulse
of the night…
Ah! You think that I never loved her!
But these long years, this breaking on the wheel
of the years, this carcan strangling every act
This long night without sleep I wandered like a
mare from the Zambezi, running and rushing at the
stars
Gnawed by a nameless suffering, like the
leopards in the trap.
I would not have killed her if I had loved her less.
I had to escape from doubt
From the intoxication of the milk of her mouth,
from the throbbing drum of the night of my blood
From my bowels of fervent lava, from the uranium
mines of my heart in the depths of my Blackness
From love of NoliweFrom the love of my black skinned People.
Past Poets of the Week:
http://fuuo.blogspot.com/2012/05/african-poets-of-week-compilation.html
Some of my favorite poetry books:This is based on Mofolo's fictionalized retelling of the Chaka story (in real life his wife outlived him) but it's supposed to demonstrate his willingness to sacrifice love for the sake of his country (and also his heartlessness)...regardless a graphic and well-written poem by Senegal's first president.
Noliwe
The weakness of the heart is holly...
Ah! You think that I never loved her
My Negress fair with palmoil, slender as a plume
Thighs of a starlet otter, of Kilimanjaro snow
Breasts of mellow rice-fields, hills of acacias
under the East Wind.
Noliwe with her arms of boas, lips of the adder
Noliwe, her eyes were constellations there is no
need of moon or drum
But her voice in my head and the feverous pulse
of the night…
Ah! You think that I never loved her!
But these long years, this breaking on the wheel
of the years, this carcan strangling every act
This long night without sleep I wandered like a
mare from the Zambezi, running and rushing at the
stars
Gnawed by a nameless suffering, like the
leopards in the trap.
I would not have killed her if I had loved her less.
I had to escape from doubt
From the intoxication of the milk of her mouth,
from the throbbing drum of the night of my blood
From my bowels of fervent lava, from the uranium
mines of my heart in the depths of my Blackness
From love of NoliweFrom the love of my black skinned People.
Past Poets of the Week:
http://fuuo.blogspot.com/2012/05/african-poets-of-week-compilation.html
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotables
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotables
Ideas: "Bad strategy sinks good ideas." -Anatoly Dobrynn (1995)
Anatoly was a Cold War-era Soviet Diplomat/Statesman
Illusion: "Belief in his own magic is the downfall of the magician." -Italian proverb
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable:
Hatred, cure: "The only cure for hatred is a brave act of love."
This one is probably my favorite quote thus far!
Humility, virtue of: "Never seem wiser or more learned than the people you are with."
-Lord Chesterfield, 1748
Humility is the lost virtue of the 20/21st century.
Humor, sense of: "It's better to have a sense of humor than no sense at all."
-Mark Twain
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotables
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotables
Geography: "Geography is destiny."
-Chinese Military aphorism
Government, weak: "You can tell a weak government by its eagerness to resort to strong measures."
-Benjamin Disraeli
Gratitude: "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between a dog and a man."
-Mark Twain
Gratitude: "Nations are never so grateful as their benefactors expect."
-Wellington, 1814
Friday, June 18, 2010
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable:
Facts:
"Of all public servants, the diplomatist and the general alone must, if they are to succeed, have a grasp of actual facts. Politicians, lawyers, administrators, financiers even, can pass their lives in a mist of fictions and go down to posterity as great men.
But the general who fails to perceive the facts that surround him will inevitably pay the penalty in defeat. The facts with which the diplomatist has to deal are less specialized and immediate, more subtle, indeterminate, and diverse than those which confront the general; they are facts the perception of which requires an all-around intelligence; and thus, while it is possible for a great soldier to be a stupid man, a diplomatist who is stupid must be a failure."
-Lytton Strachey (Victorian British Writer and Critic)
Finance: "Finance, when coordinated with policy, becomes a weapon of diplomacy."
Flattery: "Diplomats must have no delusions of grandeur, but they should know how to induce them in others."
Facts:
"Of all public servants, the diplomatist and the general alone must, if they are to succeed, have a grasp of actual facts. Politicians, lawyers, administrators, financiers even, can pass their lives in a mist of fictions and go down to posterity as great men.
But the general who fails to perceive the facts that surround him will inevitably pay the penalty in defeat. The facts with which the diplomatist has to deal are less specialized and immediate, more subtle, indeterminate, and diverse than those which confront the general; they are facts the perception of which requires an all-around intelligence; and thus, while it is possible for a great soldier to be a stupid man, a diplomatist who is stupid must be a failure."
-Lytton Strachey (Victorian British Writer and Critic)
Finance: "Finance, when coordinated with policy, becomes a weapon of diplomacy."
-Victor Wellesley (1944)
'When coordinated with policy' being the operative phrase...we've been pumping cash into corrupt governments or doling it out haphazardly which has been to our detriment across the globe in many circumstances.Flattery: "Diplomats must have no delusions of grandeur, but they should know how to induce them in others."
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable
We are in the E's today!
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable:
Enemies, contact with: "In diplomacy, as in war, one should never lose contact with the enemy."
Enemies, hating: "Never hate your enemies, it affects your judgment."
Enemies, importance of choosing: "Enemies should be made on purpose and not by inadvertence."
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable:
Enemies, contact with: "In diplomacy, as in war, one should never lose contact with the enemy."
Enemies, hating: "Never hate your enemies, it affects your judgment."
Enemies, importance of choosing: "Enemies should be made on purpose and not by inadvertence."
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
“[By recognizing these Arab “Schindlers’, perhaps we can being to bridge the gap in the Israel-Palestine conflict.]”
“[By recognizing these Arab “Schindlers’, perhaps we can being to bridge the gap in the Israel-Palestine conflict.]”
-Dr. Rob Satloff
On June 2nd I had the opportunity to attend a screening of “Among the Righteous” held at the State Department. This is a documentary made by Dr. Rob Satloff who originally went into his project with the idea to try to find one Arab who helped one Jew during WWII.
I met my dad there beforehand and they had some pretty good refreshments and had the pleasure of meeting the political officers from the Tunisian, Moroccan and Saudi Arabian embassies.
The Under Secretary for Political Affairs, William J. Burns (3rd ranking official in the state department, and its senior career diplomat opened the screening with some brief remarks and a panel of guests (including the Assistant Secretary of State for Near-Asian Affairs Jerry Feltman) answered questions afterwards.
This film is a project that turned into a journey that spanned from France to Morocco to Israel as Dr. Satloff conducted extensive research and interviews to uncover a bevy of stories of Arabs aiding Jews during the Holocaust.
One of the more surprising facts that I learned from the documentary was that there were more than 100 concentration/labor camps in North Africa! I had no clue there were any! And this forgotten fact, these forgotten and buried stories were largely the point of the documentary.
In discovering the stories of the Arabs who helped the Jews in Nazi/Vichy/Italy controlled North Africa the Satloff hopes to address the removal of the ‘artificial barriers’ of holocaust denial and to inject realism in the realm of discussion.
Here are several links to the documentary and some blogs on the subject:
http://mystical-politics.blogspot.com/2010/04/among-righteous.html
(the above blog has a particularly good summary of the film)
http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/04/12/satloff?ref=search
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/among-the-righteous/
http://www.amazon.com/Among-Righteous-Robert-Satloff/dp/1586485105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276712592&sr=8-1
-Dr. Rob Satloff
On June 2nd I had the opportunity to attend a screening of “Among the Righteous” held at the State Department. This is a documentary made by Dr. Rob Satloff who originally went into his project with the idea to try to find one Arab who helped one Jew during WWII.
I met my dad there beforehand and they had some pretty good refreshments and had the pleasure of meeting the political officers from the Tunisian, Moroccan and Saudi Arabian embassies.
The Under Secretary for Political Affairs, William J. Burns (3rd ranking official in the state department, and its senior career diplomat opened the screening with some brief remarks and a panel of guests (including the Assistant Secretary of State for Near-Asian Affairs Jerry Feltman) answered questions afterwards.
This film is a project that turned into a journey that spanned from France to Morocco to Israel as Dr. Satloff conducted extensive research and interviews to uncover a bevy of stories of Arabs aiding Jews during the Holocaust.
One of the more surprising facts that I learned from the documentary was that there were more than 100 concentration/labor camps in North Africa! I had no clue there were any! And this forgotten fact, these forgotten and buried stories were largely the point of the documentary.
In discovering the stories of the Arabs who helped the Jews in Nazi/Vichy/Italy controlled North Africa the Satloff hopes to address the removal of the ‘artificial barriers’ of holocaust denial and to inject realism in the realm of discussion.
Here are several links to the documentary and some blogs on the subject:
http://mystical-politics.blogspot.com/2010/04/among-righteous.html
(the above blog has a particularly good summary of the film)
http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/04/12/satloff?ref=search
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/among-the-righteous/
http://www.amazon.com/Among-Righteous-Robert-Satloff/dp/1586485105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276712592&sr=8-1
Diplomats Dictionary Daily Quotable
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotables:
Diplomacy: "Diplomacy is the application of intelligence and tact to the conduct of officical relations between governments of independent states." -Ernest Satow 1917
Diplomacy, aim of, durable relations: "Diplomacy should aim, not at incidental or opportunist arrangements, but at creating solid and durable relations." -Harold Nicholson, citing Cardinal Richelieu
Diplomacy, defined: "Diplomacy is letting someone else have your way." Lester B. Pearson, 1965.
Diplomacy: "Diplomacy is the application of intelligence and tact to the conduct of officical relations between governments of independent states." -Ernest Satow 1917
Diplomacy, aim of, durable relations: "Diplomacy should aim, not at incidental or opportunist arrangements, but at creating solid and durable relations." -Harold Nicholson, citing Cardinal Richelieu
Diplomacy, defined: "Diplomacy is letting someone else have your way." Lester B. Pearson, 1965.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Poet of the Week from Nigeria: Wole Soyinka
Poet of the Week from Nigeria: Wole Soyinkaa
This week's poem is by a Nigerian poet. His poem is below and a brief bio follows:
IN THE SMALL HOURS by Wole Soyinka
Blue diaphane, tobacco smoke
Serpentine on wet film and wood glaze,
Mutes chrome, wreathes velvet drapes,
Dims the cave of mirrors. Ghost fingers
Comb seaweed hair, stroke acquamarine veins
Of marooned mariners, captives
Of Circe's sultry notes. The barman
Dispenses igneous potions ?
Somnabulist, the band plays on.
Cocktail mixer, silvery fish
Dances for limpet clients.
Applause is steeped in lassitude,
Tangled in webs of lovers' whispers
And artful eyelash of the androgynous.
The hovering notes caress the night
Mellowed deep indigo ?still they play.
Departures linger. Absences do not
Deplete the tavern. They hang over the haze
As exhalations from receded shores. Soon,
Night repossesses the silence, but till dawn
The notes hold sway, smoky
Epiphanies, possessive of the hours.
This music's plaint forgives, redeems
The deafness of the world. Night turns
Homewards, sheathed in notes of solace, pleats
The broken silence of the heart.
Serpentine on wet film and wood glaze,
Mutes chrome, wreathes velvet drapes,
Dims the cave of mirrors. Ghost fingers
Comb seaweed hair, stroke acquamarine veins
Of marooned mariners, captives
Of Circe's sultry notes. The barman
Dispenses igneous potions ?
Somnabulist, the band plays on.
Cocktail mixer, silvery fish
Dances for limpet clients.
Applause is steeped in lassitude,
Tangled in webs of lovers' whispers
And artful eyelash of the androgynous.
The hovering notes caress the night
Mellowed deep indigo ?still they play.
Departures linger. Absences do not
Deplete the tavern. They hang over the haze
As exhalations from receded shores. Soon,
Night repossesses the silence, but till dawn
The notes hold sway, smoky
Epiphanies, possessive of the hours.
This music's plaint forgives, redeems
The deafness of the world. Night turns
Homewards, sheathed in notes of solace, pleats
The broken silence of the heart.
http://wolesoyinka.blogspot.com/
Wole Soyinka , b. 1934, from Idandre (Methuen 1967). As poet, playwright and essayist, Soyinka is a major force in African and world literature He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. Imprisoned in Nigeria in the 1960s and self-exiled in the 1990s, he continues to protest against oppression worldwide.
FUUO Past Poets of the Week:
VP Biden's Africa Trip
A lot of interesting articles with some varied viewpoints on VP's recent trip to Africa. My comments to their following question are below.
What are the most important issues for Vice President Biden to focus on during his trip to Africa?
My answer:
Until the African Union (or some other governing body) becomes effective, 'Africa' will continue to falter as a whole. Currently there are 8 REC's recognized by the AU. Most of these have good intentions but all of them have slightly different goals and levels of effectiveness. So the question of which issues the VP should press or focus on is a moot one. It's a waste of time until there's a unified body/organization with which to work. This issue would be a powerful one to impress upon the world.
June 07, 2010 —
Vice President Biden travels to Africa this week with several stops, including Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa. Experts from around the halls of Brookings weigh in on the significance of a visit that highlights a new U.S. strategic interest in region. Issues to be discussed include economic growth, peace and stability and a range of other bilateral and regional issues.
Ezra Suruma: Is Vice President Biden Coming to Help Carry the African Burden?
John Page: From Cairo to the Cape - The Wrong Conversation
Emmanuel Asmah: Focusing on ‘the Positives’ in Africa
John Mutenyo: Zero Tolerance for Bad Governance and Corruption in Africa
Olumide Taiwo: Peace and Stability in the DRC
Is Vice President Biden Coming to Help Carry the African Burden?
Ezra Suruma, Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
Both Americans and Africans should take pride in the fact that America’s victory in World War II was quickly followed by decolonization in Asia and Africa. American ascendency to world leadership promised and delivered freedom from colonial rule inspired by America’s own exemplary struggle against colonialism and aspirations for human equality and democracy. Despite those early hopes for freedom and development, it is now almost 50 years since most African nations attained political independence, yet poverty and instability continue to bite hard.
As Vice President Joe Biden visits Africa, he cannot help but take stock of the continuing upheavals and threats of upheavals in the Great Lakes Region notably Congo, Somalia and Sudan. With al Qaeda’s long arm reaching out to Somalia, Darfur and elsewhere, America’s professed lack of interest in Africa has now faded, making Africa’s burden also America’s burden. Peace and security is Africa’s number one problem since without it economic development cannot proceed. No foreign or domestic investor can contemplate a serious investment in Somalia, Darfur, or eastern Congo. With the UN Security Council meeting in Kampala this month to consider among others, the instabilities in Congo, Sudan and Somalia, it is clear that Biden needs little reminder of the severe implications of yet another military front for the U.S. The vice president will therefore be expected to assure Africa’s leaders in Nairobi and Pretoria of America’s full commitment to peace and security in the continent.
It is good that Vice President Biden will join other world leaders to kick off the world’s greatest sports event, the World Cup. While the U.S. may not be a front runner in the matches, it is important that it is participating and Biden’s presence will go a long way in boosting the U.S. team’s morale. The African teams are in a similar position as the American team in that they are not favored to win. Nevertheless, they are most enthusiastic that this great event is taking place in Africa.
Biden’s visit will be seen by African nations as a show of U.S. support for Africa. The symbolism is excellent. What it says to Africa is: “We are with you in this one and we shall be with you in other matters as well.” This should help to lighten the burden of the vice president’s visit. Sharing in the joy of participating in the World Cup in Africa should bring much needed relief to the entire world community, America included. From the stresses of war, economic recovery and environmental disasters, Americans should hopefully be able to have a ball if only for a few weeks. The United States and Vice President Biden are certainly most welcome in Africa.
From Cairo to the Cape - The Wrong Conversation
John Page, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development
Vice President Biden’s Africa trip is a welcome demonstration of interest in Africa by the U.S. administration, but his talking points in Egypt, Kenya and South Africa represent a missed opportunity to focus on a crucial missing link for creating jobs and growth in Africa—regional integration. In Egypt, Vice President Biden will meet with President Hosni Mubarak to discuss "a full range of bilateral and regional issues," begging the question of which region will be discussed given the current international climate. In Kenya, he will address matters of "peace and stability;" and in South Africa, Biden will “meet with South African and world leaders attending the 2010 FIFA World Cup.”
From Cairo to the Cape, Biden will visit the three largest economic powers in COMESA—the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa—a regional economic grouping, encompassing 19 member states with a population of 430 million. This regional market of significant size and diversity has failed to deliver on its potential. When I spoke at the COMESA investment forum held in Egypt in April, both the potential and the frustrations of COMESA were evident. Business leaders from across the continent meeting with senior trade and development officials from member states were bullish on COMESA—pointing to its robust recent economic growth, improved investment climate and recovering global export markets as sources of dynamism. Simultaneously, they were deeply frustrated with lack of progress by member states in achieving meaningful progress toward true regional integration.
COMESA is a “common market” in name only. It has not achieved free trade among its members, cross-border movement of people remains problematic, and it is far from integrating its financial markets. Its member states belong to other regional economic groupings—most importantly the East African Common Market and the Southern African Development Community—and it is unclear how these multiple and overlapping regional groups relate. Without leadership from its most important members—precisely those countries Vice President Biden will visit—COMESA is likely to continue to frustrate investors and trading partners alike.
Why is regional integration so important for Africa? Its economies are small both in population and economic size. Transport and power links between countries are limited, and poorly performing institutions such as regulation of commerce and customs raise the cost of trade logistics. Without effective regional integration, Africa simply cannot compete in the global market for manufactures, traded services such as tourism and IT-based services, and high value-added agriculture. Yet the region’s long-term ability to create high-paying jobs and sustain growth depends fundamentally on its success in competing globally in these industries. Integrating locally to compete globally is fundamental to Africa’s economic success.
Biden’s trip is a missed opportunity to raise the issue of how Egypt, Kenya and South Africa can push the pace of creating an effective COMESA; and for the administration to think about how it can support regional integration in Africa through aid and trade. Africa and Biden deserve a better set of talking points.
Focusing on ‘the Positives’ in Africa
Emmanuel Asmah, Africa Research Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Africa is coinciding with a historic World Cup soccer competition that is being held in Africa for the very first time. This means the entire world will be watching Africa, giving the continent more international media coverage than ever before. This is a great opportunity for Vice President Biden to communicate the diversity and wealth of Africa and the contribution it can make to resolving global problems, like low-carbon growth and food security.
The last thing Africa needs is intense global media attention on negative African stereotypes and challenges, such as humanitarian tragedies, famines, disease, piracy, violence and state capacity deficits. People should be made to realize that Africa is a diverse and vast continent. Therefore, headline-grabbing challenges in a few areas in the continent should have little bearing on conditions elsewhere. By highlighting Africa’s successes during his visit, Biden can change the way Africans are perceived by the international community.
Africa needs more investments and fair trade to accelerate the pace of economic growth and development. Moreover, Africa needs a renewed sense of respect, real partnerships and positive engagement with the rest of the world. Foreign investors and the international community should focus their attention on:
Africa’s rich human and natural resource potentials;
profitable trade and investment opportunities
some remarkable achievements in human development, political accountability, peace and security; and
improved investment climate change related areas.
The last decade has seen remarkable examples of recovery from conflict and democratic consolidation. Angola, Liberia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Kenya are a few examples. Improvements in governance performance in 31 out of 48 countries, as assessed by the Mo Ibrahim Index are also worth mentioning. As an expression of political commitment to good governance and openness to criticism, the African Peer Review Mechanism has been a positive sign for those countries that have submitted themselves to assessment.
Though progress is still insufficient, public expenditure management in several countries has improved, regulatory and supervisory bodies have been strengthened, and tax systems have been reformed to internationally recognized standards of good fiscal practice. Some measures to improve the business environment, such as alleviating supply-side bottlenecks, have created a more attractive environment for foreign investment. As a result, Africa is performing much better today than a decade ago and African economies look motivated to sustain the momentum that has been building up in recent years. Africa is hoping to add to ‘these positives’ with a World Cup win by an African country. The future looks bright for Africa and nothing less than a campaign for political goodwill, positive encouragement and practical support for Africa’s economic and social development is needed during Biden’s visit to the continent.
Zero Tolerance for Bad Governance and Corruption in Africa
John Mutenyo, Africa Research Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
When Vice President Biden visits with African leaders this week, he should stress the importance of good governance and tackling corruption. Botswana and Mauritius clearly demonstrate the “yes, Africa can” develop if it builds strong institutions; while the situation in Zimbabwe proves that bad governance and corruption lead to economic downfall. If Africa is to develop it needs strong institutions to support good governance, strong and independent judiciary, transparency, zero tolerance of corruption, and independent police and the military among others.
African nations typically fall at the bottom of every list of economic activity despite being abundant in natural resources. The bottom 25 spots of the U.N. Quality of Life Index are regularly occupied by African nations. In 2009, 33 of the 49 countries on the U.N. list of least-developed nations were from Sub-Saharan Africa. And in September 2009, out of 40 highly indebted poor countries, 29 were from SSA.
There are many causes for poor economic development and instability in Africa, but weak government institutions due to corruption and bad governance are at the center of the problem. For instance, rigged elections have become quite common and have recently transpired in Burundi, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe to name a few.
Corruption in African countries is on the rise. According to World Bank data on governance, in 1996, 27 of the 50 most corrupt countries were from Africa; and by 2008, 37 of the 50 countries were from Africa. Corruption seems to be an African affair, even engulfing the mighty South Africa whose corruption index has been worsening since 1990.
Many African governments have instituted anti-corruption agencies and laws, which are basically used to hoodwink the donor community. In the slightest chance that these laws are ever enforced, the culprit is most likely to be a political opponent. During the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of State meeting in Uganda, it was suspected that some of Uganda’s ruling government officials, including the vice president and several ministers, embezzled serveral million dollars. Surprisingly all these suspects are still occupying government offices today. Shortly before this incidence, millions of U.S. dollar donor-funds meant for treating AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria were stolen. To date, the suspects are at large and some are members of Parliament.
If African countries are to develop economically and fight poverty, emphasis must first be placed on improving the quality of institutions. This will encourage both foreign and domestic investment and discourage capital flight. Vice President Biden needs to stress strong positions against corrupt and despotic regimes. Biden should reiterate the words of President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during their separate visits to Africa that the continent needs to build strong institutions, increase transparency, reduce corruption and support democratic processes. Biden, like Obama should also challenge Africa to take charge of its destiny in the world.
Peace and Stability in the DRC
Olumide Taiwo, Africa Research Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
It is a welcome development that Vice President Joe Biden will visit Africa this week with stops in Egypt and Kenya, and then South Africa, in time for the 2010 World Cup opening ceremony. More assuring, Vice President Biden will spend some time addressing peace and stability issues in the Horn of Africa, specifically in Sudan and Somalia, before the competitions kick off in Johannesburg.
In most African countries, international football competitions usually eclipse ongoing conflicts. The conflicts only become more vigorous after the competitions are over. However, while focusing on peace and stability in the Horn of Africa is laudable, ignoring peace and stability in the heart of Africa or treating the sub-region as unimportant or a lost cause is not.
The focus on Sudan and Somalia is understandable considering the U.S. classifies Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism and Somalia as a safe haven for al-Qaeda fighters. There are presently no perceived links between al-Qaeda terrorism and the multinational conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where militias from Rwanda and Uganda are battling the DRC government over its resource-rich eastern Kivu region. Unfortunately, conditions in this conflict zone make it no less a potential recruiting ground for terrorist activities, especially if things continue to fester. The DRC government of Joseph Kabila remains incompetent in defending its territory and protecting its citizens against foreign militias. Worse still, President Kabila has ordered a “crush or neutralize” tactic to suppress political opponents in order to retain his power. The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the region seem unable to do anything significant to advance peace and stability. The DRC, particularly the Kivu region, is presently a safe haven for war criminals who have created a mini-state for themselves with accompanying threats of violence and land-grabbing. Hundreds of thousands of boy soldiers have been trained and engaged in the conflict. Poverty, unemployment and illiteracy rates continue to rise as conflict after conflict ravages the region. It is important to note that these conditions are not qualitatively different than those which existed in Sudan and Somalia before the incursion of al-Qaeda.
Peace and stability in Kivu region, and ultimately in DRC, is achievable under a credible and strong democratically-elected government that respects human rights. This is not likely to be different from the requirements that Vice President Biden will outline when addressing the situations in Sudan and Somalia. The odds of achieving this goal in the DRC would be significantly improved if Biden devoted some press time during his visit to discuss electoral reforms in the DRC so as to ensure free and fair elections next year.
Add Your View
What are the most important issues for Vice President Biden to focus on during his trip to Africa?
What are the most important issues for Vice President Biden to focus on during his trip to Africa?
My answer:
Until the African Union (or some other governing body) becomes effective, 'Africa' will continue to falter as a whole. Currently there are 8 REC's recognized by the AU. Most of these have good intentions but all of them have slightly different goals and levels of effectiveness. So the question of which issues the VP should press or focus on is a moot one. It's a waste of time until there's a unified body/organization with which to work. This issue would be a powerful one to impress upon the world.
June 07, 2010 —
Vice President Biden travels to Africa this week with several stops, including Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa. Experts from around the halls of Brookings weigh in on the significance of a visit that highlights a new U.S. strategic interest in region. Issues to be discussed include economic growth, peace and stability and a range of other bilateral and regional issues.
Ezra Suruma: Is Vice President Biden Coming to Help Carry the African Burden?
John Page: From Cairo to the Cape - The Wrong Conversation
Emmanuel Asmah: Focusing on ‘the Positives’ in Africa
John Mutenyo: Zero Tolerance for Bad Governance and Corruption in Africa
Olumide Taiwo: Peace and Stability in the DRC
Is Vice President Biden Coming to Help Carry the African Burden?
Ezra Suruma, Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
Both Americans and Africans should take pride in the fact that America’s victory in World War II was quickly followed by decolonization in Asia and Africa. American ascendency to world leadership promised and delivered freedom from colonial rule inspired by America’s own exemplary struggle against colonialism and aspirations for human equality and democracy. Despite those early hopes for freedom and development, it is now almost 50 years since most African nations attained political independence, yet poverty and instability continue to bite hard.
As Vice President Joe Biden visits Africa, he cannot help but take stock of the continuing upheavals and threats of upheavals in the Great Lakes Region notably Congo, Somalia and Sudan. With al Qaeda’s long arm reaching out to Somalia, Darfur and elsewhere, America’s professed lack of interest in Africa has now faded, making Africa’s burden also America’s burden. Peace and security is Africa’s number one problem since without it economic development cannot proceed. No foreign or domestic investor can contemplate a serious investment in Somalia, Darfur, or eastern Congo. With the UN Security Council meeting in Kampala this month to consider among others, the instabilities in Congo, Sudan and Somalia, it is clear that Biden needs little reminder of the severe implications of yet another military front for the U.S. The vice president will therefore be expected to assure Africa’s leaders in Nairobi and Pretoria of America’s full commitment to peace and security in the continent.
It is good that Vice President Biden will join other world leaders to kick off the world’s greatest sports event, the World Cup. While the U.S. may not be a front runner in the matches, it is important that it is participating and Biden’s presence will go a long way in boosting the U.S. team’s morale. The African teams are in a similar position as the American team in that they are not favored to win. Nevertheless, they are most enthusiastic that this great event is taking place in Africa.
Biden’s visit will be seen by African nations as a show of U.S. support for Africa. The symbolism is excellent. What it says to Africa is: “We are with you in this one and we shall be with you in other matters as well.” This should help to lighten the burden of the vice president’s visit. Sharing in the joy of participating in the World Cup in Africa should bring much needed relief to the entire world community, America included. From the stresses of war, economic recovery and environmental disasters, Americans should hopefully be able to have a ball if only for a few weeks. The United States and Vice President Biden are certainly most welcome in Africa.
From Cairo to the Cape - The Wrong Conversation
John Page, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development
Vice President Biden’s Africa trip is a welcome demonstration of interest in Africa by the U.S. administration, but his talking points in Egypt, Kenya and South Africa represent a missed opportunity to focus on a crucial missing link for creating jobs and growth in Africa—regional integration. In Egypt, Vice President Biden will meet with President Hosni Mubarak to discuss "a full range of bilateral and regional issues," begging the question of which region will be discussed given the current international climate. In Kenya, he will address matters of "peace and stability;" and in South Africa, Biden will “meet with South African and world leaders attending the 2010 FIFA World Cup.”
From Cairo to the Cape, Biden will visit the three largest economic powers in COMESA—the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa—a regional economic grouping, encompassing 19 member states with a population of 430 million. This regional market of significant size and diversity has failed to deliver on its potential. When I spoke at the COMESA investment forum held in Egypt in April, both the potential and the frustrations of COMESA were evident. Business leaders from across the continent meeting with senior trade and development officials from member states were bullish on COMESA—pointing to its robust recent economic growth, improved investment climate and recovering global export markets as sources of dynamism. Simultaneously, they were deeply frustrated with lack of progress by member states in achieving meaningful progress toward true regional integration.
COMESA is a “common market” in name only. It has not achieved free trade among its members, cross-border movement of people remains problematic, and it is far from integrating its financial markets. Its member states belong to other regional economic groupings—most importantly the East African Common Market and the Southern African Development Community—and it is unclear how these multiple and overlapping regional groups relate. Without leadership from its most important members—precisely those countries Vice President Biden will visit—COMESA is likely to continue to frustrate investors and trading partners alike.
Why is regional integration so important for Africa? Its economies are small both in population and economic size. Transport and power links between countries are limited, and poorly performing institutions such as regulation of commerce and customs raise the cost of trade logistics. Without effective regional integration, Africa simply cannot compete in the global market for manufactures, traded services such as tourism and IT-based services, and high value-added agriculture. Yet the region’s long-term ability to create high-paying jobs and sustain growth depends fundamentally on its success in competing globally in these industries. Integrating locally to compete globally is fundamental to Africa’s economic success.
Biden’s trip is a missed opportunity to raise the issue of how Egypt, Kenya and South Africa can push the pace of creating an effective COMESA; and for the administration to think about how it can support regional integration in Africa through aid and trade. Africa and Biden deserve a better set of talking points.
Focusing on ‘the Positives’ in Africa
Emmanuel Asmah, Africa Research Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Africa is coinciding with a historic World Cup soccer competition that is being held in Africa for the very first time. This means the entire world will be watching Africa, giving the continent more international media coverage than ever before. This is a great opportunity for Vice President Biden to communicate the diversity and wealth of Africa and the contribution it can make to resolving global problems, like low-carbon growth and food security.
The last thing Africa needs is intense global media attention on negative African stereotypes and challenges, such as humanitarian tragedies, famines, disease, piracy, violence and state capacity deficits. People should be made to realize that Africa is a diverse and vast continent. Therefore, headline-grabbing challenges in a few areas in the continent should have little bearing on conditions elsewhere. By highlighting Africa’s successes during his visit, Biden can change the way Africans are perceived by the international community.
Africa needs more investments and fair trade to accelerate the pace of economic growth and development. Moreover, Africa needs a renewed sense of respect, real partnerships and positive engagement with the rest of the world. Foreign investors and the international community should focus their attention on:
Africa’s rich human and natural resource potentials;
profitable trade and investment opportunities
some remarkable achievements in human development, political accountability, peace and security; and
improved investment climate change related areas.
The last decade has seen remarkable examples of recovery from conflict and democratic consolidation. Angola, Liberia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Kenya are a few examples. Improvements in governance performance in 31 out of 48 countries, as assessed by the Mo Ibrahim Index are also worth mentioning. As an expression of political commitment to good governance and openness to criticism, the African Peer Review Mechanism has been a positive sign for those countries that have submitted themselves to assessment.
Though progress is still insufficient, public expenditure management in several countries has improved, regulatory and supervisory bodies have been strengthened, and tax systems have been reformed to internationally recognized standards of good fiscal practice. Some measures to improve the business environment, such as alleviating supply-side bottlenecks, have created a more attractive environment for foreign investment. As a result, Africa is performing much better today than a decade ago and African economies look motivated to sustain the momentum that has been building up in recent years. Africa is hoping to add to ‘these positives’ with a World Cup win by an African country. The future looks bright for Africa and nothing less than a campaign for political goodwill, positive encouragement and practical support for Africa’s economic and social development is needed during Biden’s visit to the continent.
Zero Tolerance for Bad Governance and Corruption in Africa
John Mutenyo, Africa Research Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
When Vice President Biden visits with African leaders this week, he should stress the importance of good governance and tackling corruption. Botswana and Mauritius clearly demonstrate the “yes, Africa can” develop if it builds strong institutions; while the situation in Zimbabwe proves that bad governance and corruption lead to economic downfall. If Africa is to develop it needs strong institutions to support good governance, strong and independent judiciary, transparency, zero tolerance of corruption, and independent police and the military among others.
African nations typically fall at the bottom of every list of economic activity despite being abundant in natural resources. The bottom 25 spots of the U.N. Quality of Life Index are regularly occupied by African nations. In 2009, 33 of the 49 countries on the U.N. list of least-developed nations were from Sub-Saharan Africa. And in September 2009, out of 40 highly indebted poor countries, 29 were from SSA.
There are many causes for poor economic development and instability in Africa, but weak government institutions due to corruption and bad governance are at the center of the problem. For instance, rigged elections have become quite common and have recently transpired in Burundi, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe to name a few.
Corruption in African countries is on the rise. According to World Bank data on governance, in 1996, 27 of the 50 most corrupt countries were from Africa; and by 2008, 37 of the 50 countries were from Africa. Corruption seems to be an African affair, even engulfing the mighty South Africa whose corruption index has been worsening since 1990.
Many African governments have instituted anti-corruption agencies and laws, which are basically used to hoodwink the donor community. In the slightest chance that these laws are ever enforced, the culprit is most likely to be a political opponent. During the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of State meeting in Uganda, it was suspected that some of Uganda’s ruling government officials, including the vice president and several ministers, embezzled serveral million dollars. Surprisingly all these suspects are still occupying government offices today. Shortly before this incidence, millions of U.S. dollar donor-funds meant for treating AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria were stolen. To date, the suspects are at large and some are members of Parliament.
If African countries are to develop economically and fight poverty, emphasis must first be placed on improving the quality of institutions. This will encourage both foreign and domestic investment and discourage capital flight. Vice President Biden needs to stress strong positions against corrupt and despotic regimes. Biden should reiterate the words of President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during their separate visits to Africa that the continent needs to build strong institutions, increase transparency, reduce corruption and support democratic processes. Biden, like Obama should also challenge Africa to take charge of its destiny in the world.
Peace and Stability in the DRC
Olumide Taiwo, Africa Research Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative
It is a welcome development that Vice President Joe Biden will visit Africa this week with stops in Egypt and Kenya, and then South Africa, in time for the 2010 World Cup opening ceremony. More assuring, Vice President Biden will spend some time addressing peace and stability issues in the Horn of Africa, specifically in Sudan and Somalia, before the competitions kick off in Johannesburg.
In most African countries, international football competitions usually eclipse ongoing conflicts. The conflicts only become more vigorous after the competitions are over. However, while focusing on peace and stability in the Horn of Africa is laudable, ignoring peace and stability in the heart of Africa or treating the sub-region as unimportant or a lost cause is not.
The focus on Sudan and Somalia is understandable considering the U.S. classifies Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism and Somalia as a safe haven for al-Qaeda fighters. There are presently no perceived links between al-Qaeda terrorism and the multinational conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where militias from Rwanda and Uganda are battling the DRC government over its resource-rich eastern Kivu region. Unfortunately, conditions in this conflict zone make it no less a potential recruiting ground for terrorist activities, especially if things continue to fester. The DRC government of Joseph Kabila remains incompetent in defending its territory and protecting its citizens against foreign militias. Worse still, President Kabila has ordered a “crush or neutralize” tactic to suppress political opponents in order to retain his power. The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the region seem unable to do anything significant to advance peace and stability. The DRC, particularly the Kivu region, is presently a safe haven for war criminals who have created a mini-state for themselves with accompanying threats of violence and land-grabbing. Hundreds of thousands of boy soldiers have been trained and engaged in the conflict. Poverty, unemployment and illiteracy rates continue to rise as conflict after conflict ravages the region. It is important to note that these conditions are not qualitatively different than those which existed in Sudan and Somalia before the incursion of al-Qaeda.
Peace and stability in Kivu region, and ultimately in DRC, is achievable under a credible and strong democratically-elected government that respects human rights. This is not likely to be different from the requirements that Vice President Biden will outline when addressing the situations in Sudan and Somalia. The odds of achieving this goal in the DRC would be significantly improved if Biden devoted some press time during his visit to discuss electoral reforms in the DRC so as to ensure free and fair elections next year.
Add Your View
What are the most important issues for Vice President Biden to focus on during his trip to Africa?
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable- Ceremonies and Champagne
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable- Ceremonies and Champagne
Two quotes today since I neglected to put one in yesterday:
Ceremonies: "In statesmanship get the formalities right, never mind about the moralities." -Mark Twain
Champagne: "No government could survive without champagne. Champagne in the throat of our diplomatic people is like oil in the wheels of an engine." -Joseph Dargent 1955 (french vintner)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Poet of the Week from Senegal: Leopold Senghor
The return of the POET OF THE WEEK.
I love this poem and the hope and love it carries as he describes an Africa without borders. I think the way he flows from country to country in each line is significant in that it speaks to his belief in the potential for this continent.
But I am EXCITED to include more of his poems in future postings because he is so gifted. Honestly I haven't been this excited to discover a new poet since I first read Pablo Neruda!
And now for your history lesson:
*Senghor was Senegal's first president from 1960-1980 (the airport in Dakar is named for him)
*He espoused what has been called "African Socialism" and coined the 'négritude'. (more on both of these terms in a later post)
*He was the first African member of l'Academie Française
*And as you will learn...he was an amazing poet! Can you imagine some of our past presidents writing the type of poetry he wrote?
*He espoused what has been called "African Socialism" and coined the 'négritude'. (more on both of these terms in a later post)
*He was the first African member of l'Academie Française
*And as you will learn...he was an amazing poet! Can you imagine some of our past presidents writing the type of poetry he wrote?
Et nous baignerons mon amie
by Léopold Sédar Senghor
by Léopold Sédar Senghor
- And we shall be bathed, my love, in the presence of Africa.
- Furnishings from Guinea and the Congo, heavy and burnished, calm and dark.
- Masks, pure and primeval, on the walls, distant but so present!
- Ebony thrones for ancestral guests, for Princes of the Hill Country.
- Musky perfumes, thick grass-mats of silence,
- Shadowed cushions for lazing, the sound of a spring -- of peace.
- Mythic tales and far-off songs, voices woven like the strip-cloths of the Sudan.
- And then, dear lamp, your kindness in cradling the obsession with this presence,
- Black, white, and red: oh, red like the earth of Africa.
Et maintenant, en français...c'est evident que quand on traduit on perd toujours quelquechose:
Présence Africaine
Et nous baignerons, mon amie, dans une présence Africaine
Des tapis étincelants et doux de Tombouctou
Des coussins maures, des parfums fauves
Des meubles du Guinée et du Congo
Nous baignerons dans une présence Africaine
Sombres et lourds
Des nattes bien épaisses de silence
Des masques primitifs et purs aux murs
Primitifs et durs
Lampes amicales
Amicale ta tendresse adoucira
L’obsession de cette présence
Nous baignerons dans une présence Africaine
Noires, fauves et rouges
Rouge comme la terre d’Afrique.
Et nous baignerons, mon amie, dans une présence Africaine
Des tapis étincelants et doux de Tombouctou
Des coussins maures, des parfums fauves
Des meubles du Guinée et du Congo
Nous baignerons dans une présence Africaine
Sombres et lourds
Des nattes bien épaisses de silence
Des masques primitifs et purs aux murs
Primitifs et durs
Lampes amicales
Amicale ta tendresse adoucira
L’obsession de cette présence
Nous baignerons dans une présence Africaine
Noires, fauves et rouges
Rouge comme la terre d’Afrique.
FUUO Past Poets of the Week:
Friday, June 11, 2010
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable- Bureaucrats
Diplomat's Dictionary Daily Quotable- B
Two quotes for today going into the weekend:
*Bureaucrats, caution of: "There are old bureaucrats and there are bold bureaucrats, but there are no old, bold bureaucrats." -U.S. Department of State Saying
*Bureaucrat's credo: "(1) When in charge, ponder. (2) When in trouble, delegate. (3) When in doubt, mumble." -James H. Boren
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