UnitedStates4Africa

South Pacific and recurring Natural Disasters

2009-11-13T10:14:00.007+10:00

It's been a terrible few months for the South Pacific. Tonga has been nailed twice - first in a national tragedy resulting from overcrowding on a leaky boat - the vessel capsized in the middle of the night and a hundred+ women and children were killed. Most of the men on board made it off in time, as they were on the top deck. Less than two months later, a monster tsunami (a 2.5m - 3.5 metre wave) ripped through Samoa and Tonga - killing hundreds and causing millions of dollars in infrastructure damage. The picture above says it all.

Remote, fragile Pacific Island countries seem to be in the same position as Indonesia - ie, always on the wrong side of mother nature. Some of my World Bank/IFC colleagues went in post-tsunami and conducted a needs assessment to determine how best to rebuild? Tourism, a critical industry for the South pacific, was significantly affected with a number of beach front hotels wiped out. Community leaders (Village Chiefs) are now consulting with their people to determine where to relocate, understandably, many do not want to return to the waters edge.

On a happier note, we had a great result from the recent FEMM (Forum Economic Ministers Meeting) in the Cook Islands. In late October 2009, Finance Ministers from A/NZ + the Pacific Islands endorsed two key initiatives that have taken the bulk of my time over the past three years; 1) remittances/payment systems and 2) financial inclusion/financial literacy work. Our Working Group had called for a 2020 regional ation plan (like a mini-MDG) with a number of specific goals, including halving the number of Pacific Island households without access to financial services.

The endorsement from regional Ministers is fantastic. It underscores the importance of the work we've been doing to date and signals to all stakeholders (commercial banks, MFIs, governments and donors) that more action is required in this critical area.

I'm really looking forward to rolling up my sleeves in the next 12 months! I think the work we're doing here in the South pacific on Financial Inclusion ties into other related work ongoing around the globe (South Africa, Kenya, Ivory Coast).

I attach a piece of the FEMM Action Plan below!!

FEMM 2009

Regional Initiatives to Support Financial Development

38. Ministers agreed that despite the importance of consumer protection and the attractions of regionalising the role of an Ombudsperson, the practical obstacles to it having a substantial impact mean that it should not be a priority in the immediate term.

Financial literacy and capability

39. Ministers noted the range of regional initiatives already being pursued in Forum Island Countries, largely focused on improving consumers financial knowledge and awareness (literacy), but also including efforts to improve the range of products and information available to consumers.

40. Ministers noted the research findings that suggest exposure to financial education has a persistent effect both on the likelihood of using the financial sector and on overall economic well being in Forum Island Countries, and referred this issue to Forum Education Ministers’ Meeting, who could consider the development of a regional action plan for improving the teaching of financial literacy in Forum Island Countries.

41. Ministers noted the need for developing a set of best practices to build adult financial capability and invited the MoneyPacific Advisory Group to undertake this work.

42. Ministers endorsed the proposed set of goals (that: all schoolchildren to receive financial education through core curricula; all adults to have access to financial education; simple and transparent consumer protection be in place; and to halve the number of households without access to basic financial services) to be achieved by 2020, and the need for the development of a set of indicators to assess
progress against these goals.

43. Ministers acknowledged the efforts of the Coombs Declaration Working Party to develop the update report, encouraged further co-ordination of regional financial capacity building activities through the newly established MoneyPacific Advisory Group

Empowering Remittance Recipients and Financial Consumers in Tonga

2009-05-21T11:31:00.003+10:00

Money management takes on increased importance during the Global Financial Crisis. Tonga's Prime Minister this week reported a ten percent drop in remittances so far this year. Given forty percent of Tonga's GDP is comprised of remittances, it was no surprise the recently concluded IMF Article IV mission to Tonga identified the steep decline in remittances as the main risk to Tonga's economic outlook.

Westpac Bank of NZ launched a new remittance card for the Pacific Islands in December 2008. On a typical $200 transaction, Pacific Island financial consumers are typically charged $30 to use Western Union but if the Westpac card is used, total fees are less than $06. A press release from Westpac NZ this week proudly reported the card saved Pacific Island families $50,000 in transaction fees to date. This is a positive early result, particularly because Westpac has not yet engaged in any marketing or advertising of the cards.

Understanding Formal and Informal Financial Channels

If the impact of the financial crisis means less money in the pockets of Tongans, households are under greater pressure to make every pa'anga go further. I think the key challenge for development institutions is to facilitate this without telling Tongans what to do with their income.

In addition to typical household expenditures in Tonga, a significant percentage of funds are spent on donations to the Church, weddings and funerals. Cultural obligations in Tonga do not cease because of the financial crisis, yet the Heads of ANZ and Westpac informed me the level of bad debt on their books was unsustainable. The two largest commercial banks responded by significantly curtailing lending. It is not uncommon for Tongans to perpetually carry two or more loans.

If remittances are declining and borrowing in the formal financial sector is increasingly difficult, where do Tongans access cash? To answer this question, it was helpful to get out of Nuku'alofa and journey into some of the villages (this was possible because I was travelling with a former Tongan MP). This presented an opportunity to speak with community leaders. At least sixty percent of Tongans rely on local village lenders to support what is predominantly consumption-based borrowing. The Reserve Bank of Tonga does not have the resources to adequately monitor these informal lenders, but it is not difficult to imagine the exorbitant rates of interest that are applied to these loans.

• The desperation for cash in a cash-driven society like Tonga is put in stark perspective with the discovery of informal lending operations within institutions! Management at a financial institution and a government agency discovered “rings” of several employees who established high-interest lending operations within their organization.

The Way Forward?

This mission provided an opportunity to collect data from private and public institutions with a stake in Tonga's financial system - as well as data from those operating outside the formal sector. There is a human side to financial mismanagement as almost 70% of domestic violence in Tonga is directly related to money matters. The financial challenges we identified in Tonga are probably not dissimilar from the rest of the Pacific.

Similar research is being undertaken in other countries across the Pacific. With an enhanced understanding of the domestic financial system, the World Bank and IFC will be in a much stronger position to consider possible operational interventions that should make it easier for Tongans to access the formal financial sector and borrow without fear of a lifetime in debt.

I was encouraged that bank managers in Tonga looked favourably at remittance products such as the Westpac card because they believed it was a good way to start developing a pattern of savings, which would in turn mobilize banks to lend to these customers.

Canada's UN Security Council Ambition and the Conservative Government's Cuts to Aid in Africa

2009-03-17T09:21:00.007+10:00

I attach an article below that discusses how PM Harper 'dispatched' a Member of Parliament to drum up support for Canada's membership bid to the UN Security Council. The is interesting because the Conservative government's cuts to aid likely mean the very countries we hope will support us now have the last laugh.

The Canadian government is looking for a seat on the UN Security Council; the most undemocratic institution in the world. Even if we do manage to get the two-year fixed term seat, we are only one of a 15 member Council. Ten of these members can raise their voice, but the Permanent Five have veto power and are the members with real clout: to authorize military force or send prosecutors after the Dictator in Sudan. The Security Council is an archaic institution left-over from post WW II planning and in my opinion it needs to be reformed immediately. Each of the five permanent members understands that each passing day these current arrangements remain the credibility of the UN takes a knock. Its amazing that in a time where we are seeing daily the evidence of poor governance in corporations, governments and international institutions, no individual or organization will speak out against the farce that is the UN Security Council...

CIDA cuts to Africa could hamper UN ambitions

BRIAN LAGHI AND JANE TABER
From Monday's Globe and Mail
March 16, 2009 at 4:33 AM EDT

OTTAWA — The Harper government has dispatched a senior MP to Africa to seek support for a Canadian seat on the UN's powerful Security Council, an effort that critics say may be hamstrung by this country's changes to African aid.

The trip by Deepak Obhrai, parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, Lawrence Cannon, is part of an all-out press being made in the face of what some critics say could be a tough campaign, given changes in foreign policy and a shift of aid away from certain African nations, including two that Mr. Obhrai will visit.

"The campaign is on," Mr. Obhrai said last week as he prepared to travel abroad. Mr. Obhrai will head to Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania to lobby well advance of the selection in October, 2010. Canada is up against Germany and Portugal, although Germany is considered almost a shoo-in for one of the spots. Critics say that reaching Canada's goal may be hampered, however, by a decision to transfer aid away from Africa to Latin America. "It's hard to see how the recent decision to cut CIDA programs in a number of African countries really helps the cause," said Bob Rae, the Liberal Party's critic for foreign affairs.

Last month, the minister responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency, Bev Oda, announced changes that would see 80 per cent of Canadian country-to-country aid focused on 20 nations. One of those favoured nations is Tanzania, while Malawi and Zambia are now off the list. A spokesperson for CIDA said those two nations could still qualify for cash from the other 20 per cent of the fund.
Paul Heinbecker, Canada's ambassador to the United Nations from 2000 to 2004, said the change in African aid could be troublesome to the Canadian efforts. "If you lessen your relationship with countries, you diminish the possibility that they're going to vote for you," he said. "You just have that much less connection with them, and there are a lot of African countries."

A spokeswoman for Mr. Cannon would not comment on whether the changes might make it more difficult to get the support of Malawi and Zambia. However, Catherine Loubier said overall aid to Africa has risen under the Conservative government. She also said Canada has made a substantial contribution to UN activities in Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan. "We are actively promoting Canada's qualifications for the Security Council membership," she said. "We strongly think our track record is good."

There are 15 members on the council, five of whom are permanent, with the other 10 serving two-year terms. Canada has won election to the body roughly every 10 years and there are 192 countries eligible to vote. The council has a number of powers, including the establishment of peacekeeping operations, setting sanctions, and the right to authorize military action. Canada conducted a high-profile effort for the council for the 1999-2000 term, and has begun a similar campaign, although the current one is seen by former diplomats as a more difficult row to hoe.

Several weeks ago, Peter Kent, Canada's minister of state for the Americas, moved to secure votes for the seat while on a trip to Guyana. Mr. Kent was in the country to announce Canadian support for the candidacy of a Guyanese judge, Mohammed Shahabbuddeen, to become a member of the International Criminal Court. In exchange, Guyana is reportedly pledging to give its vote to Canada for the UN seat rather than to Portugal. Such diplomatic horse-trading is typically part of the effort to secure a seat, although Mr. Obhrai said he didn't plan to do any trading with the three nations he plans to visit this week. "We're seeking support from all the three countries," he said. "I don't think there is anything to trade with them. They are not standing for anything."

Mugabe "Denial of Reality"

2008-12-17T16:43:00.003+10:00

I have written many times on this blog about the shameful tactics of Zimbabwe's Mad Bob Mugabe. He snubbed the democratic process quite some time ago, and has been ruling with an "iron fist" ever since. Sadly, he has deceived himself into thinking he succeeded in putting one over on the international community. We all saw him steal the election this year, and then reach out in a pathetic attempt to woo the oppostion party Movement for Democratic Change.

Those of us familiar with Mugabe's dictatorial ways, knew better than to actually think this monster was going to give one inch to his chief rival, Morgan Svirangai of the MDC. His appetite for power is voracious. American, UK governments and even SADC members continue to pressure Harare from afar and make it as inconvenient as possible for Mugabe to operate as Head of State. Reading the deplorable, declining health conditions in the country, seeing images of numerous Zimbabweans burn worthless paper money, UN agencies decrying sanitary conditions outside the shanty towns or seeing people on the street picking rotten garbage out of dumpsters - all of this has lead to the most direct, pointed response from the world's top diplomat:

(From the BBC) Bank Ki Moon tried to reach out the government in Harare: Ban deplored the fact that "neither the (Harare) government nor the mediator welcomes a United Nations political role ... This clearly limits our ability to effectively help find immediate remedies to this crisis." "The current cholera epidemic is only the most visible manifestation of a profound multi-sectoral crisis, encompassing food, agriculture, education, health, water, sanitation and HIV/AIDS," he added.

He stressed that the mediation by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) "needs result fast." "The people of Zimbabwe cannot afford to wait any longer. The international community cannot afford to watch as the situation gets worse," Ban noted.

But is it enough??????????????????????

A Muzungu's Take on a Recovering Kenya

2008-09-07T11:49:00.003+10:00

Wow - AFRICA, Kenya. It is great to be back after too long an absence!! After total flying time from Sydney, Australia of 22+ hours it was a RELIEF to arrive in Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyata airport. I found a SIM card immediately and must say this is the one thing i notice since my last visit to Kenya and Nairobi - everyone has a mobile phone! M-PESA the amazing financial telecoms technology issued through Safaricom has transformed the lives of many urban and rural Kenyans - domestic remittances now total USD $4.5 million/month. Rural farmers are some of the biggest beneficiaries of this technology.

My first reaction taxi’ing and walking the streets of Nairobi is traffic has actually improved - the Matatus (public passenger buses) are all licensed now. Shockingly they continue to blast Celine Dion music but must drive the speed limits of the city and not carry more than 14 passengers…and they are actually complying!!! Walking the streets I found myself in the usual routine of being approached by a number of con artists, glue sniffing children and stray animals. On my first day a dozen taxi drivers laughed at me when I was swarmed by 8 kids hanging off my arms for half a block. The hotel I stayed in is nice but I do hope the water will eventually stop coming out brown! The hotel was $25/night, so one expects at least 2 stars and clear water??

I met my Kenyan Rafiki (friend) David after 5 years away; he runs a small NGO called the Juhudi Children’ club; they receive money to decorate children’s hospitals around Nairobi with murals art. I didn’t know there was so much artistry to completing a colourful, intricate mural. He and I shared a few Tuskers, the national beer of Kenya. He is doing well and is now a father of three beautiful children. He has invited me to stay with his family, which I happily accepted. We talked about one of the key differences between Westerners and Africans; I am now 29, not married and do not have children. Women are having kids here at 18 and many males are fathers by 22. David is 35 and has three children, he told me that probably wasn’t normal by Kenyan tradition.

Kenyans refer to the Jan/Feb. 2008 post-election tribal violence only as the “Crisis” and sadly poverty has increased since when I was here in 2002. This week the Prime Minister Raila Odinga is in the UK to promote foreign investment and to salute the Kenyan diaspora for their assistance during the Crisis. Despite the sadness over the last few months, the perpetual Kenyan smile, sense of community and ample time provided to strangers is overwhelming…the West still has so much to learn here.

I have spoken with a dozen different tribal affiliations around Kenya in my first 4 days and one thing is clear: the almost unanimous dislike for Kikuyus. Land and title being the central issue. It is difficult for a Muzungu to have a discussion with Kenyans about tribal affiliations. Suffice it to say resentment has been suppressed, but sensitivities remain and it would only take one incident for Kenya to again spiral out of control. I pray the new coalition government starts to reconcile the differences between the dominant tribe and all the rest. I believe the future of Kenya is intricately linked to the ability to find tribal compromise; leading hopefully to peaceful coexistence.

On the coast in Mombassa two issues impact tourism and thus the inordinate number of young Kenyans wondering the beaches aimlessly. One is the Tsunami affected beaches, the gorgeous white Sand on the Indian Ocean Coast was sucked out during the Tsunami in 2004 and has left rock-exposed beaches! Second is the crisis which has scared off many tourists. Coastal Kenyans are going without meals for three days; unable to feed families and some resorting to petty crime. I like to haggle with matatu drivers and street vendors to receive a fair price but find myself adding to the total price as I might be the only tourist they see for the day!

When it gets dark it is very difficult for a male travelling solo to enjoy a quiet drink with some live music. The rate of prostitution has jumped since the last time I was in Kenya, in 2002. Some publications estimate 85% of prostitutes have HIV. Tragically, the majority of these women are so very young.

MUGABE SHAMELESS; MBEKI GUTLESS

2008-06-30T16:21:00.004+10:00

There can be no denying how ugly the Zimbabwean election crisis has become. Mad Bob's cling to power has reached desperate proportions. Mr. Mugabe received quite a shock in March 2008 when his cronies and youth thugs failed to scare enough Zimbabweans away from voting for rivals the MDC. When you consider Mugabe government's efforts to subvert the democratic process through all of 2008 it is amazing what the MDC and majority opinion achieved. Today he swore himself in after "winning" an unopposed election. However, unlike previous coronations, Mugabe was more subdued than usual.

He flies to Egypt today for a meeting of the African Union. His counterparts, including many in the SADC, have been vocal in their critique of his government for creating the intimidating environment leading up to this weekend's election; 100+ MDC members dead, the homes of MDC supporters burned to the ground and other disgusting attempts to silence the voice of democracy. I sincerely hope Bob Mugabe is NOT recognized by African counterparts as the "leader" of the Zimbabwean people; a leader must reflect the will of the people, of which Mugabe certainly falls short. I have written previously about the desperate situation in Z. - inflation levels reaching exponential proportions, mass poverty, starvation, rampant crime and sadly, even slum-dwellers now complain about the filthy conditions of the shanty towns. How many more cries for help are required here?

Odinga, the PM of Kenya is calling for an AU military intervention and I am confident more than a few heads of state in Eygpt (host of the AU Summit) will stay clear of Mugabe. It was great to see D. Tutu and the world's most respected freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, clearly speak their minds on Mugabe and his regime of terror. In some twisted way, Mugabe probably equates his liberation struggles to that of Tutu's and Mandela's: convinced he is a Messiah.

In the 1980s when he tossed out the British a strong case could be made for his crowning as an anti-colonial freedom fighter. A leader of the people. These days, Mugabe is more ridiculous figure than revolutionary. The people's nemesis, + a petty thug. Mr. Mugabe is politically shrewd to continue claims he is part of a global, imperialistic-colonial plot, of which the Zimbabwean Opposition leader must also be complicit...no doubt, those less informed of his destructive and manipulative methods will be fooled by these accusations.

A Disgrace.

South Africa's Thabo Mbeki's silence on Zimbabwe's farcical election is tantamount to his tacit support for the Mugabe regime. While Mbeki squeaks like a mouse; his anti-apartheid colleagues have roared like Lions voicing their public condemnation of Mugabe and his cronies in Cabinet. Further commentary from African Heads of State is welcomed. Mr. Mbeki has always maintained quiet diplomacy is the solution; working behind the scenes to bridge differences between ZANU and MDC. This is lazy and empty rhetoric from the outgoing South African politician.

Mr. Mbeki's lack of resolve on Zimbabwe demonstrates to the international community that his efforts to bring peace and stability to Zimbabwe have failed. How many opportunities will the UN and the AU allow before they pull the plug on Mbeki's role as mediator? His leadership on the crisis thus far has failed to achieve meaningful results for the people of Z. Granted, he is trying to cozy up to a cunning, desperate politician like Mugabe; an individual who lost his grip on reality some time ago. Does Mbeki's lack of courage reflect an aging politician that doesn't want to rock the boat?? He often looks tired and defeated; Mugabe has played him like a puppet in a war of attrition.

Zimbabweans should rightly be worried if Leaders at this week's AU Summit leave the fate of their country in Mbeki's hands. Clearly, he is not capable of making the tough demands required.

Voiceless in Sudan

2008-05-23T16:50:00.008+10:00

I received a letter from Mr. Sarosh Syed of the Save Darfur Coalition recently. I post below a section of that letter, a 'report from the field' in Sudan. Mr. Ernst I saw that you’ve written about Darfur in your blog, and I thought you might be interested in some reports we have been receiving regarding the escalation of violence in Sudan:

At this moment (Thursday May 15th 2008) Salah Gosh Security forces and Special Forces ( The Capital Troops) with huge amounts of vehicles and troops are surrounding the largest market in Omdurman that is known to have large stores owned by Darfuris : Market of Libya ( Soug Libya ). They are detaining any Darfuri there: Store owners, customers, street sellers, passers-by. Women are detained, at least two killed inside their homes separately in Ombudah, another one killed in the street in Omdurman when she tried to protect her brother from Security forces. She was shot at point blank on the face. All women are from Zaghawa tribe.

Paramilitary and security forces went from house to house in darfuri predominant neighborhoods (Umbada, Fitaihab, Libiya Market in Omdurman), arrest male darfurians (mainly from Zaghawa tribe), beaten and kicked in front of their families and children, some are beaten by the end of assault rifles, then thrown on the back of security trucks and taken away (not known where).

Words cannot describe. They cannot depict the unimaginable fear civilians must experience day in and day out nor could words capture my disgust with the outside world's response to the daily reports of rape, pillage and plunder carried out against African tribes living in the Darfur region. The mindset and mandate of the Janjaweed militia is to "spread the seed" at all costs in gruesome, calculated acts of genetic extermination. Any Warrior's Honor or moral code of combat is entirely lost on these pirates.

Almost half a decade has passed since the first reports of violence and ethnic tension surfaced. Sadly the voices from Darfur remain ignored - like the cacophony of whispers we couldn't hear in 1994. The world cried out "Never Again" at the United Nations after the full extent of horrors were revealed in Rwanda, but matching definitive language with sincere, actionable follow-up has never been a strong point of the international community.

The chorus of apologies on behalf of hypocritical, feeble governments has become so cliche. At this stage in the Darfur genocide, perhaps intercession is all we have at our disposal. But even this seems inconsequential...

Will the day ever come when citizens of the international community respond with something other than "Shame on us"???????????

Soon we find out who is the REAL revolutionary...

2008-04-09T18:40:00.004+10:00

So go the lyrics sung by Bob Marley almost 30 years ago at the coronation of the new Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe. The rest of the melody entitled Zimbabwe Marley eloquently sings about the tossing out of the British as colonial power...No more internal power struggle, brother you're right, you're right, we'll have to fight for our rights, divide and rule could only tear us apart, in every man's chest there beats a heart and I don't want my people to be tricked by mercenaries...Africans liberate Zimbabwe.

Sadly Mugabe spent the better part of his 28 year rule spitting on the very ideals expressed by one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century. Nobody will soon forget his government's crackdown on all basic freedoms desired by the citizens of Zimbabwe, how he allowed inflation levels to reach over 100,000 percent to become the world's most bankrupt economy and Mugabe's incessant election rigging. Many of us remember the world's outrage when video evidence clearly showed he was involved in the brutal beating of his main political rival in early 2007; Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Indeed, Mugabe's very actions and his disdain for the democractic process one could almost be forgiven for forgetting that at one point, Mr. Mugabe was a victim of Britain's suppression of democratic rights in the former Rhodesia.

I actually bumped into Mugabe in South Africa back in 2002, and I watched as he addressed a major environmental summit in Joburg. I couldn't get over how often he referenced the evil British Empire, to the delight of most of the crowd. Back then, Mugabe was forcing white farmers off Zimbabwean lands, and this caused global outrage. Given the colonial meddling that occured before Mugabe's fight for the Presidency, I was not opposed to this controversial move as long as forced removal's were gradual and those taking over farm lands be trained in Agricultural production. Of course, this did not happen and Mugabe used the land to reward his cronies, many who had little if any farming experience. No surprise, Zimbabwe became a major recipient of the World Food Programme and food shortages continue to this day.

Election Uncertainty

The march 2008 Presidential election has come and gone. Overwhelming reports indicate Mugabe lost and this is one reason why election results have yet to be released. Nobody forgets what happened in Kenya's most recent election and how delay and fears of vote-rigging sparked massive violence and uneccessary slaughter across the country. Even if he has miraculously won the election legitimately surely Mugabe is guilty of negligence for generating mass uncertainty and panic on the streets of Harare and throughout the country. But his Presidency has clearly been defined by such uncertainties and it would not be a stretch to suggest it charges him up, amplifying the desperation of a man bent on clinging to power at all cost.

Mugabe defends his violent actions by suggesting he is a constant target of a nefarious British plot to overthrow him. Of course this proposed plot would be hard for anyone to prove otherwise, and it plays to Mugabe's key strength as a quasi-revolutionary, a one-time African freedom fighter. Other African leaders have bought into this line and are afraid to 'rock the boat.' As Archbishop Desmond Tutu commented recently "African leadership has not done themselves proud on this one..."

From Past to Present

If he were alive today Bob Marley would agree with the Archbishop's sentiments, and though he would be extremely disappointed in the hypocrisy demonstrated in almost every action of Mr. Mugabe and his followers, Marley held a disdain for the political process because he saw how it corrupted men who once stood for something.

Robert Mugabe needs to face himself in the mirror: WHO rules by divide and conquer tactics, tricks the people with mercenaries, causes internal power struggles and tears a nation apart?

The Celebrity Solution?

2008-03-13T10:57:00.006+10:00

The list of Hollywood celebrities engaged in charitable causes continues to grow: Bono (Foreign Aid, HIV/AIDS Awareness), Paris Hilton (Save the Seals campaign, Rwanda?), Sean Penn-Mia Farrow-George Clooney (Darfur), Natalie Portman (Microfinance) and Angelina Jolie (Refugees). Admittedly, some stars (Clooney) are much more credible than others (P. Hilton). For A-list celebs in particular, where a $20M take is not atypical, a charitable cause offers a heart-warming environment for Esquire magazine to shoot you at. An industry has been created around attracting stars to causes, with Red Cross now employing a director of celebrity outreach. Angelina Jolie retains the services of the Global Philanthropy Group, an organization which offers 'comprehensive philanthropic management.'

"Do celebrities advance a cause or hinder it?"

The answer is one of degree. Stars attract wide audiences and spread awareness on key issues. They are also major donors: Drew Barrymore recently donated USD $1 million to the World Food Programme. Natalie Portman has taken up the cause of microfinance and is a major supporter of FINCA, a global microfinance organization empowering women through the provision of small loans and building community networks. Ms. Portman visits on the ground projects in Latin America and East Africa, and returned several years later to see how microfinance is positively re-shaping the lives of women in developing countries.

Increased attention also translates into enhanced fundraising and public pressure on Parliamentarians to act. Director Steven Spielberg's services were desperately sought after by a Chinese government keen to impress at the Opening Ceremonies of the Beijing Games. Spielberg wrote a letter to President Hu Jintao in 2007 expressing concerns about human rights abuses in Sudan and a Chinese envoy was immediately dispatched to Khartoum. Mr. Spielberg, to his credit, eventually resigned from his post as Artistic Director, a signal of his disappointment with Chinese intransigence on the genocide that continues in the Sudan.

However...

Critics point to the fickle nature of celebrities: in one moment they speak at a World Wildlife Federation event but are then photographed on the red carpet draped in exotic animal leather. Celeb hypocrisy undermines the WWF as well as the star. During the Ethiopian Famine of the mid-1980s Bob Geldof hosted Live Aid to focus the world's attention on hunger and malnutrition. This concert sustained public pressure on Western governments to act swiftly and significantly helped organizations such as the World Food Programme raise funds, intervene and combat the famine spreading across East Africa. Fast forward 20+ years and we hear Geldof, Gore and Bono towing the same line: host concerts to spread awareness on climate change and debt relief. All this is very worthy and touching.

But communications technologies significantly evolved since the 1980s; very few people in rich Western countries can legitimately claim ignorance on the issues. The problem now is not lack of awareness, it is lack of action. Spotlighting causes by hosting concerts around the globe makes for a newsworthy story one day (and Heads of State receive thousands of text messages!), but all is forgotten within a week: the CNN and BBCs of the world are off chasing new stories and public attention shifts elsewhere. No onus is placed on concert goers to take action, no sacrifice required.

Stars like Bono should consider how to influence fans' pocketbooks directly; therefore ensuring Aid agencies and responsive governments are equipped with budgets to adequately deliver services to those most in need. To Bono's credit, partnering with Apple's Steve Jobs on the Red Ipod (Red=HIV Awareness) to join the influence of popular culture with the power of the market translates into a more robust fight against HIV/AIDS.

Many stars forget that although popular and influential, they are not experts on the cause they are promoting and often confuse the broader public (Imagine Paris Hilton informing young teenage girls in America about human rights issues in East Africa???). Donald Steinberg of the International Crisis Group believes there is a tendency to treat all issues as if it's all good and evil, but sometimes you need to accept a complex truth. Unwillingness to better understand more complex truths comes at the expense of the cause. Popular culture with a heart of gold = masses living in blissful ignorance?

Celebrities are not the solution to global socio-economic challenges but they have a role to play. They have proven to be effective messengers; able to drum up wide support, sustain national attention and generate funds to very noble causes. Stars genuine in their involvement - such as George Clooney and Natalie Portman - should continue to receive our strong support and encouragement.

But adoring fans must never confuse the important contributions of their celebrities with the fundamental role played by those fighting every day on the front-lines against poverty and injustice.

Too long in Office?

2008-02-28T16:39:00.009+10:00

18 million Cameroonians face an uncertain future despite living in a country that is the world’s 4th largest cocoa producer and readily attracts Chinese and American companies with a thirst for the black gold (Cameroon pumps 85,000 barrels of Oil/day).

Two key incidents are fueling the population's anger. President Paul Biya's indication last month he would change the constitution to allow him to run for office a record eighth time. This would mean a Presidential term spanning more than 30+ years! If this announcement wasn't enough of a slap in the face, the government made plans last week to pass on costs to consumers by raising the price of petrol in a country crippled by poverty.

Riots erupted in Douala and made their way north to Yaounde, resulting in hundreds hospitalized, half-dozen+ deaths and police dropping tear gas canisters from the skies. The protests started innocently as taxi and other transport workers went on strike over the high price of fuel, before escalating into chaos as protestors expanded demands to also reduce the price of rice and cement. The unrest is the worst facing Cameroon in 15 years. Chad (also currently impacted by internal turmoil) and the Central African Republic are negatively impacted by an economically paralyzed Cameroon – indeed the entire continent for that matter.

Haven't I bought this t-shirt before?

Why is it so hard for arrogant men to step down? I dislike many things about the American Presidential election system but the two, 4 year term limits enshrined in the constitution represent one of the best decisions the founding fathers made. Mr. Biya need but look East to Kenya in order to fully understand the ramifications of gripping too tightly to power; propping up special interests that do not serve (or care about!) the will of the people. Let's not forget that Mr. Kibaki paid lip-service to the importance of the Kenyan constitution prior to his election, but found a way to railroad legislation needed to enshrine the constitution when he took office.

Sadly Biya's response to these protests are as reactionary as his Kenyan counterpart – deploying troops (first time in 10 years) to contain the unrest. Likely orders given to the police and the military from authorities: bring order by any means necessary. The President's televised address to the nation struck a defiant tone stating that those responsible are doomed to fail...eerily familiar to the intonation and language of one Bob Mugabe.

Keep your eye now on the reaction from American authorities: how do they respond to an African nation gripped in crisis yet enriched with black gold compared to an African nation gripped in crisis yet devoid of any lucrative natural resources (Kenya)? China set a precedent in its ongoing relationship with Sudan; their response here is predictable.

G. Bush + Foreign Policy in Africa = No Vision

2008-02-20T16:10:00.006+10:00

President Bush has less than 12 months to go in his disastrous Presidency, and not unlike other heads of state before him, decides at the last hour that one final hurrah in Africa is the medicine that will remedy all the mistakes made along the way. I would compliment Mr. Bush if I didn't think his two 5-day tours of the African continent during his 8-year Presidency were more about trying to show a compassionate side to an American President who will forever be remembered as the man who inverted the classic adage "think first, then Act."

Globally, Bush's popularity is highest on the African continent: 82 % of people in Ivory Coast, 72 % of people in Kenya and 69 % of people in Ghana express confidence that he does the right thing in World Affairs. Much of this support comes from a policy he deserves some credit on the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), which has made $15 Billion USD available since 2003 to various African countries. Not so with the rest of the world: the polling in these three countries is much higher than surveys in any Arab, Asian, Latin American or European country. I notice North America was not included in the survey, but rest assured that in Canada, Mexico and even in good old America, Bush will never again poll above 50%.

My 3 Critiques of the President's Africa Agenda

The PEPFAR Initiative. There are two main criticisms that I would like to explore. The first, perhaps somewhat out of the President's total control, is that the total amount of funds are pledged, and not yet fully allocated. Not by a long shot. Much of the funding remains tied up in Congress and partisan bickering aside, I think the President could do a lot more to pressure Congress on this front. He has begun to do that on this trip. The second an perhaps more stinging critique, and a large reason why partisan bickering remains, is the controversial ABC policy (Abstinence, Be faithful, use Condoms) promulgated by the President.

This policy appeals directly to the socially conservative side of the Republican party, but it is completely misaligned with the realties of the 21st Century. Hey George, guess what? people do have sex! Even your daughters! Proponents of this unwise policy tell me that abstinence first is a guideline and not a hard and fast rule. It takes a 'balanced approach' says Mr. Bush. The truth is that any African clinic that counsels on abortion or pushes condoms too readily, will be cut-off from funding. Moreover, it strengthens the Christian zealots in Africa and feeds the stereotypes that persist in Muslim Africa about Christian offerings of aid.

The Kenyan Crisis. Kenya remains in a state of crisis, despite Kofi Annan's attempts to bring the two sides together. The President sent C. Rice to assist in the mediation efforts and she went in to her discussions with the old "carrot" and "stick" approach. Likely she promised Kenyan leaders increased financing from America and greater access to the American market and threatened the revocation of American VISAs for Kenyans aligned to any party associated with ongoing violence. Now this is not a bad approach to take in advancing international diplomacy, given that Rice lost all credibility as a respectable stateswoman following her remarks about the Israel-Lebanon war of 2006 ("Growing pains of a new Middle East").

But here's the problem. Immediately following Kenya's fraudulent election the Bush government was asleep at the wheel. Canada and European countries refused to recognize President Kibaki when he arrogantly swore himself in, knowing it would lead to bloodshed. What action did America and the US Ambassador to Kenya take? They unwisely recognized and congratulated Kibaki after he swore himself in as Kenya's President. Three days later when violence kicked up the Americans and their leader, flip-flopped. So if you are Raila Odinga the opposition leader of the Orange Democratic Movement for Change, how much would you trust Ms. Rice to keep her word after the American government formally recognized your opponent as head of state?

A lack of courage and resolve on Sudan. President Bush was in Rwanda today amplifying his message that more countries need to contribute to the joint AU/UN peacekeeping force in Sudan. Mr. Bush reiterated his government's belief that genocide was occurring in Darfur. He announced $100 million USD to help train and equip the Rwandan army, thereby strengthening the country's future peace keeping efforts. These are all positive announcements but if only Mr. Bush could apply 1% of the "resolve" and unwavering determination he has for America's mission in Iraq to combating the Janjaweed and similar organizations that commit war crimes on the citizens of Sudan.

Studying the American President's incessant rhetoric about standing up for the freedom of those citizens facing oppressive regimes, the tough talk only turns to action in strategic states such as Iraq and Afghanistan. I think this weakens his credibility on the issue considerably and shows that when the going gets tough (standing up to the Chinese on Sudan, as Mr. Spielberg courageously did last week) his government has and continues to "cut and run" on the people of Africa.

Chad – 6 French Nationals Sentenced to 8 Years

2008-01-30T17:09:00.000+10:00

The strange saga of French “humanitarian” group Zoe’s Ark began in October 2007 when 6 French aid workers were arrested in Chad for kidnapping. On December 26 the six aid workers were convicted and sentenced to 8 years prison and hard labour. Following the ruling, French President Sarkozy personally flew to Chad to meet President Deby and to negotiate the conditional release of the aid workers. To have been a fly on the wall for that bilateral discussion: what did Sarkozy promise to secure their release?

The Franco-Chadian relationship is a rocky one – many citizens of Chad resent the presence of French peacekeepers in their country and the ongoing influence of the former colonial power. On January 30 2008, a Paris court upheld the conviction in Chad (less the hard labour) to the protest of families and friends of the convicted aid workers. The reaction of relatives and friends is not surprising, but what were they expecting? No matter what President Sarkozy promised, the government of Chad acted in good faith by allowing the workers to serve out their time in France.

If the Paris court overruled the conviction, it would be viewed as direct interference in the affairs of a sovereign state. Now I am often suspicious when governments apply the sovereignty argument (Read: Government of Sudan) but in this case anything less than a full conviction in France – then France would be communicating that its citizens are above the law. A position not dissimilar to America’s rejection of the ICC in the Hague. Let’s be honest even the least informed travellers + workers know that when abroad, your country’s jurisdiction ends and you are subject to your adopted country’s laws. Of course there are exceptions and blatant disregard of judicial processes – but not in this case.

The French aid workers were convicted for “complicity in the illegal residence of foreign minors in France.” Zoe’s Ark claimed they were “rescuing” 103 infant refugees residing in Eastern Chad after fleeing Darfur. They claimed they were ‘saving’ (I really dislike the arrogance of it all!) these children by bringing them back to France for urgent care and attention.

But then the facts emerged. The infant refugees turned out to be healthy Chadians with at least one living parent. The French embassy in Chad has reported that Zoe’s Ark had a history of ‘audacious’ humanitarian projects, particularly what appeared to be clandestine adoption arrangements with families back in France. Afterall, not every Westerner has the money and influence of Madonna when it comes to adopting children from African countries.

The defence team invoked the scapegoat argument: aid worker’s rights sacrificed in the interests of French foreign policy. Nonsense. These accusations are unfounded. Several of the accused made self-righteous claims their extra-legal actions were justified because of the urgency of the situation (see sub-text above!). They incorrectly believed they could play God in the lives of others, and quite conveniently, satisfy the desires of 103 French families circumventing the French adoption queue.

If only development were that simple: remove all the troubled children from the ills of the world and transport them to a ‘safer’ country. Why haven’t development practitioners thought of this brilliant idea?

Aid workers employed by Zoe’s Ark fail to realize their actions were colonialism in disguise: sweeping in to a country where they had no legitimate business, exporting infants back to France in order to subsume African identities to the “superior” French culture.

My Beloved Kenya

2008-01-16T17:46:00.000+10:00

Many predicted Kenyans would vote down tribal lines during the recent Boxing Day elections. However, few would have believed a close race and electoral fraud would fuel ethnic tension and set off waves of violence and across the country. Afterall this is Kenya, a nation that has enjoyed relative peace since independence.

More than 600 men, women and children have been murdered, the majority a result of one’s tribal affiliation. Horror stories of woman and children fleeing villages from angry mobs, men and women subjected to the most horrifying deaths by machete, people burnt alive in churches, police and military dispersing crowds based on the order “shoot to kill” and tens of thousands of Kenyans fleeing across the border into neighbouring countries.

I was finishing an internship at the UN Environment Program in Kenya towards the end of 2002, a time of real promise about the future of the country. The excitement for change in leadership was apparent in every district across the country. The Kikuyu’s, Kenya’s most populous tribe and the Luo’s, Kenya’s second most populous tribe put aside long-standing differences to form the Rainbow Coalition prior to the December 2002 Presidential election. This ensured neither the President, Daniel Arap Moi, nor his appointed successor could take office. Two decades of deceit, greed and rigged elections were highly motivating factors for this unlikely alliance.

Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu, was Rainbow’s chosen candidate. The Luo’s supported Kibaki’s run for President on the condition he would act quickly to amend the country’s constitution. These amendments would limit presidential powers and significantly increase the voice of Luo’s and other tribes in the country’s political affairs. Barely two years in office, Kibaki and his Kikuyu circle reneged on the commitment. The alliance crumbled. Luo’s, led by Raila Odinga, were rightly angered at this hypocrisy. Mr. Odinga, a Luo who helped broker the alliance, ran against Kibaki in the recent disputed election.

The Kenyan Electoral Commission (KEC) indicated Mr. Kibaki won by less than 1% of the total vote, but local and international observers (including Canada) claimed irregularities in the voting process. Kibaki quickly swore himself in only to have the Head of the KEC claim the electoral process was flawed. The KEC’s back and forth positioning lost it much needed credibility, but foreign embassies have not yet recognized Kibaki as President. The country is in paralysis.

With the exception of the reign of Daniel Arap Moi, a Kalenjin, the highest office has consistently been held by a Kikuyu, who controls the appointments of advisors, Ministers, Ambassadors and bureaucratic heads. Luo’s have long sought a greater role in the country’s economic fortunes and political processes. When asking non-Kikuyu’s, particularly Luo’s, to explain the deep-rooted mistrust comments typically focus on Kikuyu’s strong desire for economic and political control. These statements are of course over-simplified, and in many cases incorrect. But there is an element of truth.

Since the early days of Jomo Kenyatta, the country’s Kikuyu founder and independence hero, and even during Moi’s time in office, Kikuyu’s have enjoyed economic and political success unmatched by other tribes. The current atmosphere of mistrust, deception and hatred exists because other tribes perceive the Kikuyu dominance having come at their expense.

What is occurring in Kenya is catastrophic, but comparison to Rwanda by a number of journalists is unwarranted. To label the current unrest in Kenya genocide is to display ignorance of the historical relationship between Kenya’s two most populous tribes. That is not to undermine the terrible reality of what many Kenyans are experiencing. Citizens are targeted and massacred based on ethnicity, but anger and frustration unleashed is a direct result of the refusal of Kenya’s political and economic elite to yield ground, and a perceived indifference from Kenyan’s most populous tribe.

Sadly, Mr. Odinga and (President) Kibaki have taken to finger pointing and grandstanding. Ordinary Kenyans are living with the constant fear of violence. Ongoing Opposition rallies held across the country provoke further animosity. The AU President failed to reach agreement with both sides, but hope remains that Kofi Annan can bridge the deep divisions.

Much is at stake as Mr. Annan attempts to mediate a solution to the impasse. His record of finding compromise in the most challenging environments should provide some comfort to those concerned about the future of this East African nation.

Take a Journey through Mali

2008-01-08T21:37:00.000+10:00

On the ground reality in Mali needs little introduction: 70% of the population lives off less than USD $1/day and the country remains one of the five poorest in the world according to the 2008 UNDP Human Development report. Despite the end of a long dictatorship and political stability since the late 1990’s Mali has not found its economic footing. It is a landlocked country with few natural resources, weak infrastructure and limited educational opportunities. A renewed aid focus from the international community still puts the average life expectancy at a shocking 48 years.

As someone interested in making a contribution you ask, Why Mali? Why any African country for that matter? Why not continue carefree lifestyles soaking up sun on the Australian beach between class, zooming around the streets of Munich in a BMW or pushing paper as a Canadian bureaucrat? But if these thoughts were foremost on the minds of the team behind the Mali Initiative more than 250 young Malians would still be without an education. Since 2004 more than $150,000 has been raised to build 12 classrooms, a library and computer rooms.

Leaving the capital of Bamako in a rusted down bus one begins to experience Mali’s rural life. Farmer’s trying to make the best of the meagre land they have hoping this season will be the season, the ‘season of plenty.’ The bus arrives in the village of Niamana where the Mali Initiative’s local country Director, Youchaou Traore, was born. Youchaou grew up as an orphan on the outskirts of Bamako. Niamana is a sobering reminder of just how far one is from the Western luxuries of electricity and running water. The majority of children here don’t attend school and spend their days in the streets. If they are fortunate to attend school it means walking 5-10 kilometres, crowding into a one-room building and sharing a few desks with 100+ other students. Most children are malnourished and therefore learn on an empty stomach.

We met Youchaou working as a translator in Mali for a documentary film about child trafficking. He invited the crew to his village. After that visit a return to Mali was inevitable. A similar feeling occurred in an American named John Wood when he travelled to Nepal. Wood is the founder of the highly successful NGO Room to Read, an organization with a similar model to the Mali Initiative.

And so the relationship with Mali began and blossomed. Preparing the layout of the first classroom, approving the design with the local council, raising funds from the Australian business community and coordinating the distribution of supplies. The first classroom opened in Kalabankoro. Thanks to the input of Youchaou and the local community, children attending schools supported through the Mali Initiative achieve much better results due to improved teaching quality.

Prior to the establishment of these classrooms children spent the days helping out the family farm or working the streets. Now elders, parents and families of the community see education as the key to a lifestyle they could only dream of. Their excitement is reflected in action as more and more children register for school thanks to hard-earned funds parents are willing to invest. This has allowed the Mali Initiative to be a global partnership in the truest sense: funds raised overseas are allocated to construction, building supplies and educational materials and local school fees paid by parents fund teacher salaries and ongoing maintenance. This co-investment approach has proven very successful in convincing donors of the Mali Initiative’s sustainability.

All team members are passionate social entrepreneurs who see the Mali Initiative as combining the efficiency from business with the social objectives of the non-profit sector. Youchaou and the local communities set the goals, ensure upkeep of the classrooms, train teachers and respond to the specific needs of the community.

Next to these local capacities the Mali Initiative is supported by the Australian Reach Foundation and several young professionals with international expertise. Elise Klein, Managing Director, is the former Australian youth representative to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and Juergen Nagler from Germany, Marketing Director, previously worked for the UN Global Compact in New York and has extensive business experience with Palm and Siemens. Tomas Ernst from Canada, Donor Relations Manager, has worked for the UN Environment Program in Kenya, the World Bank and in various capacities of government.

The Mali Initiative has grown in scale since its early days. Major private and public donors have started to take notice. The goal is to expand this model to other Malian villages. The demand is there. The team has conducted a needs assessment in order to develop a long-term strategy to present to major donors in 2008. The vision for 2020 is to build 1,000 classrooms, train 10,000 teachers and provide education to 500,000 children

We ask for your support in making the dreams of a new generation possible.

*If you would like to donate to the Mali Initiative or seek more information, please visit www.mali-initiative.org or www.reachmaliproject.org.au

Is South Africa past apartheid?

2007-12-28T16:37:00.000+10:00

Fascinating topic, and again, no simple answer. For me, the short answer is no but to be fair I haven't been back to S. Africa since September 2002. During that time the city of Joburg could only be described as "A multiculturalist's nightmare." Comparisons are always dangerous not least because country's and regions of the world have starkly different histories. But then again, imagine a young man born in Canada suddenly transported to Joburg in 2002: where respect for diversity, tolerance, acceptance and openness were palpably absent. Fear and persistent glances over one's shoulder was the norm.

I watched young, white South Africans living it up like Kings - driving the fanciest of cars, partying in white-only clubs and fortressing their homes behind the most heavily armed, electrical fencing you can imagine. I found myself detesting the way white South Africans lived. Their enclaves reminded me of the new US Embassy in Kenya post-1998 bombings. In this South Africa, if a black person's car broke down and you happened to be white - you 'never in a million years' stopped to lend a hand. Though this would still be the case in many Western countries.

An article I read recently gave me newfound hope. It describes the life of a young, black South African teenager named Isabella Mosime. She was born one year before Mandela was released from prison, and was raised by white parents. Although race is such a loaded issue in South Africa, Isabella has quite literally been able to transcend both worlds as a result of her upbringing.

At her high school she joined with black students to protest against the lack of punishment handed down to a white student who uttered racist remarks. She has stepped in to defend white students against unfair accusations of racism and dislikes when blacks play the race card too readily. Unlike most black Africans, she does not speak an African language such as Zulu. As a result of her upbringing, she has been labelled a coconut by other blacks - as in white on the inside. But is the perspective currently held by Isabella something that could eventually be shared by all South Africans - black, white or coloured? Surely this would help bring about greater tolerance, respect for diversity and openness.

This piece is investigating the black v white issue, it does not elaborate on the other African race issues such as whites v coloured or black v black and tribe v tribe. If you believed the issue of black v black is overstated, just look at how the Kikuyu and Luo tribes voted in the Kenyan election of 2007. You would find they voted almost entirely down tribal lines. This is not a new revelation in African politics, but nonetheless reinforces the point there are many layers to racism.

Not residing in South Africa full time I think we must be careful about making judgements. I do believe the situation has improved since 2002, if only marginally. Progress on this issue is difficult to measure and it takes time. Afterall, post-Apartheid South Africa is barely one decade into existence. In countries like Cambodia (with Pol-Pot's Khmer Rouge) and Vietnam (USA bombings/agent orange) where specific groups were killed and/or harshly persecuted, I learned resentment passes from one generation to the next. We see the same in South Africa. Black parents are (quite rightly) worried their children will forget the unspeakable horrors that black people suffered at the hands of the minority white government - this shapes future identities and allegiances. As Michael Ignatieff reminds us, any nation that suffered unspeakable tragedies must move beyond intergenerational recrimination, but without forgetting the horrors from the past.

The nasty tendency of human beings to form labels for everything gets at the heart of this issue. In the article referenced - there is black, white, coconut not to mention all other wicked labels each side has painted "the other" with. This is an issue that Isabella articulates strongly "I don't see colour. I actually don't care what you look like. I can still talk to you because you have a brain and can have a conversation." Isn't that how it should be, idealist or not? I can think of some labels I would call a young person in South Africa who portrayed her values. As part of the oral (and written) tradition, labels conveniently help us to form the stories we tell others about the people we meet. Granted, but labels have achieved more success at narrowing the debate that rages on all sides; therefore adding to ignorance that is already too widespread.

The African Diaspora

2007-12-16T13:18:00.000+10:00

There was an lively debate and dialogue this week among World Bank staff. What role do the African diaspora play in the development of the African continent? Huge question, and not surprisingly myriad different positions on the subject. I will also say that there were very few non-African staff participating in the discussion, but this was a first discussion of its kind for the WB. I still don't see an issue with inviting others to at least observe the proceedings.

A range of data was presented that informed participants, particularly in regards to Sub Saharan Africa, that socio-economic challenges such as fighting HIV/AIDS and Malaria is becoming more and more difficult with record numbers of skilled workers leaving the continent. In the health care sectors there are numerous shortages of trained nurses + doctors. So, given that Africa faces the gravest health threats with records numbers of new outbreaks of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria what impact are labour shortages having on properly addressing these socio-economic burdens? The question on the minds of African WB staff: if all the highly trained depart for greener pastures and bigger paycheques, who is left behind to fight the good fight?

I don't propose this is an easy issue to solve. On the Mali Project I am involved in, Malian teachers that are trained in Kalabankoro community to work for our community organization Ecole Privee Youchaou, are enticed away by others who offer higher salaries (of course, it is easier to offer these high salaries if you don't spend $ on teacher training, and instead focus on recruitment!). The lure of greener pastures is not restricted to developing states, just look at Canadian doctors opting to work in the USA for a fatter paycheque. However, I wouldn't dare compare the impact of this on the Canadian healthcare system to say, a Doctor from Burkina Faso leaving to work in France!

The African diaspora feels responsible towards family and friends "back home." Many Africans have plans to go home, and it is through remittances that they send money home to prepare for their eventual return. Ideally on their return new skills + ideas are passed on, to the benefit of local African communities.

Looking at the remittance figures that are sent by migrants to their home countries, money sent through formal channels (W. Union, Commercial banks, etc.) was a record USD $276 billion in 2006. Counting formal and informal channels this number could be twice as high! Often a young person will be chosen for higher education, and every village member will provide money to support their education, with the hope they reach greener pastures and then send money home regularly.

But there are two main problems I have with remittances. The first and most obvious, is that Western-based companies are the real beneficiaries. Financial telecommunication literally costs pennies (ok, add on another 25 cents/transaction for compliance costs) and the profit margin for a company such as Western Union is astronomical! Minute expenses and huge revenues gained from super high price structures = big big profit margin!!!!

The second argument is that in the long-run, remittances are not sustainable, though I do agree remittance flows are more sustainable (right now at least) than FDI and ODA. African villages (or any community in a developing countriy for that matter) that remain dependent on remittances as their primary means to sustain livelihoods will never climb out of the 'poverty trap.' Remittances should be viewed as but one part of the overall solution. These funds must eventually be channelled towards education, health care and new infrastructure to name but a few productive investments.

That doesn't mean that governments should write policies directing or taxing remittances, these are private flows afterall! People should be allowed to spend remittances how they want, and government's must ensure the right environment is created for their better use - ie, promoting mobile phone banking so rural communities can receive remittances electronically, and not as cash which is spent immediately and in many instances, still kept under the bed mattress.

Let's look at the experience of many recent immigrants:

Skilled migrants from, say Ethiopia make their way North America, and yet they can't find a job in their chosen profession. Their credentials are either not recognized or worse, there is massive bureaucratic delay. They end up driving taxis. You know, those jobs that 99% of North Americans wouldn't touch. But they refuse to go home. The hope they clung to is now transferred to their children, who begin studies at Western elementary schools. I have nothing but admiration for recent immigrants who choose to leave, and are unceremoniously let down in their adopted homes.

The Diapspora has a fundamental role to play in African development. But how best to adopt policies in this regard? Should more funding be put into educational facilties in Africa to rival the Harvards and Oxford's of the world? If African Universities are viewed as prestigious by Africans, the allure of the Ivey league institutions diminishes. Could work. But highly skilled people will continue to be headhunted (look at Canadian Doctors) as long as the promise of a higher salary remains. It is amazing the extent to which human beings will go to, with only the faintest of hopes or at the greatest of personal risk. Indonesians piling into boats bound for Australia or Fijians working as security guards on the most dangerous roads in the World - those leaving Baghdad.

What if there were greater employment prospects? The Clinton Foundation believes the African Nursing/Doctor shortage can (partly) be addressed by offering a competitive wage to healthcare workers. Certainly makes a lot of sense and why not? Less numbers of people would leave the African continent if they were assured a competitive, timely salary. "Assuring" is the most difficult part though - donor fatigue, weak administrative capacity typically hinder any hope for program longevity. But it's a good start, and more development organizations should look at providing competitive wages to avoid mass African exodus. The Clinton Foundation has begun to experiment with salary levels to address labour shortages in several African countries, thereby reducing people's desire to chase down a VISA.

UN: Iceland best, Africa absolutely most difficult place to live

2007-11-28T15:18:00.000+10:00

The UN Human Development Index, measuring life expectancy, education levels and real per capita income, is published on an annual basis. Out of 175 countries surveyed in 2007 (Note: Iraq, Afghanistan were not surveyed due to lack of available data), Iceland finished at the top followed by Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland. The United States of America finished 12, ranked quite high on real per capita GDP at $USD 41,890 but finished last among developed countries in life expectancy.

Sadly, the bottom 22 countries surveyed by the UN were all African, and are classified by the UN as in the "low human development category." Sierra Leone finished at the bottom followed by Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 10 of the lowest ranked countries, 2 out of 5 children will not reach the age of 40.
Quite shocking to think that despite many politicians in the developed world proclaiming their economies and quality of life have never been better; very little of this excess wealth has made its way to the continent most in need of global assistance. Maybe they think the fortunes of Gates, Turner, Branson + Buffet will always be around to top-up their paltry allocations.

November 25 was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Ban Ki Moon rightly stated that "Violence against women is a violation of human rights, it is always a crime and it is always unacceptable." Unfortunately, sexual violence against women has reached "grotesque proportions" in central and eastern Africa. Rape as weapon of warfare is rampant in Sudan (despite that government's protestations to the contrary) and is wide-spread even in post-conflict settings.

There are not enough personnel in development agencies to counter the increase in Female Genital Mutilation in the central and eastern region of Africa. 90% of Somali women experience FGM as teenagers. As a development practioner who is based in an international setting not of my birth country, I will always be mindful of cultural differences. But when it comes to FGM I have no tolerance for those that excuse this disgusting, oppressive practice or turn a blind eye by claiming the age old "cultural relativism" argument. Pure rubbish!!

The upcoming International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) - a joint UN/AU initiative to ratify and translate into national law a protocol for the prevention and suppression of sexual violence against women and children - is maybe a beacon of hope? The pact is expected to be enforced once ratified by 8/11 signatories. Here's hoping that happens, and that those governments will be genuine about keeping their commitments.

Cutting the Red Tape: Establishing a Business in Mali vs. Australia

2007-11-09T15:05:00.000+10:00

Thanks to the World Bank's Doing Business in Africa 2008 report, I thought it might be interesting to do a little comparison on establishing a business in Mali vs. Australia. A direct comparison is unfair because Australia has 100+ years experience, stronger administrative capacity, technological expertise and infrastructure and domestic/external pressure of investors to ensure red tape is minimized. Nonetheless, the comparison is quite a revelation for those, including this author, that believe African countries must reduce economic dependance on the West through the creation of a vibrant private sector. However, for industry to grow and create jobs it is crucial that the government creates an efficient operating environment. Let's take a closer look:

In Mali, it takes a minimum of 28 days to set-up a business at a cost of AU $706.00. Now, one should remember that for the majority of Malians $706.00 is twice what they would earn in a one year period. During these 28+ days, the entrepreneur must progress through a number of stages therefore subjecting their operations to the potenital for numerous delays (1) Deposit initial capital with a bank or notary and obtain certification, (2) Obtain a certificate of criminal record, (3) Notarize by-laws and pay the registration fee at the notary, (4) Purchase legal stamps at the Tresor for the Authorization to operate, complete an application for taxes, an application for the Tribunal de Commerce, an application for the statistical office and provide proof of payment for the patent, (5) Obtain forms and verify contents of application package at the centre for formal enterprises and chamber of commerce, (6) apply for a publication of notice of the formation of the company, (7) Apply for an identification number at the National Statistics office, (8) Purchase legal stamps at the Tresor for the registration certificate, any certificate from the tax office, the business number and employee identification numbers, (9) File article of incorporation for the company and for each worker file also a letter of agreement with the 'Institut National de Prevoyance Sociale (INPS), (10) Notify Division of Health and Worker's Assessment about commencement of operation and finally, (11) File with the National Worker's Board a contract with every employee. Whew!

Now let us compare the laborious and agonizing process outlined above with what it takes to establish a business in Australia:

In Australia, it takes 2 days to set-up a business at a cost of AU $400.00. Please note that $400 is less than what an Australian working at minimum wage earns in one week. Day (1) the entrepreneur must launch an Australian Securities and Investment Commission form, obtain a certificate of incorporation and an Australian Company Number. Day (2) Launch an application online for an Australian Business Number (ABN) with the Australian Tax Office (ATO). The ATO provides the ABN at the end of the Internet session and a hard-copy of the ABN arrives in the mail within 28 days.

The Mali Project

2007-10-28T18:13:00.000+10:00

Sometimes it is quite interesting how you get involved in things.

My best buddy from University, Juergen, went to an international development conference in Sydney in September 2006 and met his future girlfriend and now my good friend, Elise. Representing a Melbourne-based NGO called Reach, Elise delivered a presentation to the ocnference participants about a Malian-based project she has led since 2004. The project centres mostly around raising funds for educational infrastructure - building schools, assuring the right equipment for teachers and students and developing an education curriculum that could be integrated with the national standard. After the first year of construction and fundraising more than 130 students were enrolled.

Key to the Mali Project is its community-based leader Youchaou Traore, who grew up as an orphan on the streets of Kalabankoro, a small village community on the outskirts of Mali's capital - Bamako. See a short video introducing the Mali Project here. Mali remains one of the five poorest country's in the world according to the latest UNDP Human Development report. 80% of the 12 million inhabitants have never been to school or learned how to read or write.

Politically, Mali continues to be a peaceful country with a democractically elected government. This has followed many decades of dictatorship. While not a "donor darling" like Botswana the international community is very supportive of the Malian government and the reforms it has taken to reduce poverty levels since 2003.

From an economic viewpoint - Mali is unattractive to foreign direct investment because it is landlocked, has a limited resource base (cotton, gold) and thus vulnerable to external shocks (Can you say WTO failure to reverse Western farm subsidization!), low levels of human development and very weak infrastructure. Almost the entire country lives off a little more than $1/day. Given all these factors it is not difficult to see why the average life expectancy in Mali is a shocking 48 years of age.

But all these negative factors is neither here nor there. Since March 2007 Elise, Juergen and I have (with the help of many supportive friends and family) discussed how we can take the Mali project to the next level. What does this mean? Well, at the present moment we have an amazing base to build from - two schools, a vocational school (No need to focus only on math/science when the country has a shortage of masons/plummers), healthcare centre, women's entrepreneurship project and street children social entrepreneurship project. We also have incredible drive, passion and vision from Youchaou on the ground in Western Africa. I was fortunate to meet Youchaou here in Sydney when he visited in June 2007.

The local and international personalities are key to this project - each one of us brings in something complementary to the overall team: Youchaou as community leader and founder, Elise as founder, program architect and successful fundraiser; my previous experience working for the UN in East Africa, and experience with government and international donor institutions and finally Juergen - dreamer, compassionate Buddhist and extensive private sector experience - key to securing donations from companies like Google and inculcating a business mindset in all of us!

So how do we scale up? Where does the Mali Project go from here - how does it grow? How do Elise, Juergen and I along with Youchaou - ensure the project is sustainable through 2010 and beyond? Western donors I have met with - World Bank, Canadian International Development Agency have provided some good advice on our scale up potential. Currently, the projects we have are all noteworthy and necessary but the Mali project needs more focus - current projects read too much like a 'wishlist' and in western donor jargon I know that means they are concerned the current consortium of projects are not sustainable and achievable and, particularly if they are going to put in a large sum of funding - success could be difficult to evaluate/measure.

The challenge therefore is to take the constructive critiques of western donors, and perhaps advance a more sectoral approach to the project. So, instead of tackling three broad-based sectors simultaneously - healthcare, social entrepreneurship and education - the Mali project team may choose education and focus our proposals around this and develop a long-term strategy that satisfies donor requirements for funding. This will mean developing project objectives, goals, criteria for success and integrating our concept into the Mali Country Assistance Stratgey (developed by Malian government and int'l donors). I think we can do this, and not just to satisfy donors funding requirements but because for the communities in Mali - ensuring a long-term vision and continuous funding for the project is sensible.

There is hard work ahead for all of us to translate this into reality.

We will take the passion from Mali and nuance this to fit with Western donor expectations. However, all of us will certainly be mindful to never lose sight of the fact that this project remains driven by those in Mali. The goal has always been to reduce poverty and create new opportunities - Millennium Development Goal #1. The Mali Project began after a call for assistance from Youchaou. No one dreamed the Mali Project would be where it is now. Three years on the project has evolved and donors are showing interest. We will take this enthusiasm and draft a strategic plan with Youchaou and Kalabankoro that works - not to suit a bureaucratic requirement far away in the West but because this makes sense for the community and supports the livelihood of its people.

The day will come when Western funding is no longer necessary in Mali and Kalabankoro. This is still some time off but it is my hope in seven to ten years residents of Kalabankoro will have attained educational levels that attract and create more productive employment opportunities, increased investment in local infrastructure, better health care and ultimately, improved living standards. It can be done...

Response to is a US of Africa possible - should we?

2007-10-25T18:04:00.000+10:00

This is an interesting debate - but why has it now stopped after only one month of follow-up? I agree and disagree with many of the author's points in the above article but applaud him on bringing all the issues into light. There is a North vs Sub Saharan divide and Sudanese government and the Janjaweed as*holes are killing by the day (quite literally!) any chance for reconciliation of this divide.

I do take issue with something that the author referenced - "Would the United States of America want to see a truly united Africa?" My reply - who cares!!!! Who cares what the Americans think of the prospect or the country's actual existence. And the Chinese? Who cares again! In this day and age it is, let's be honest, adapt or fade away into oblivion. Of course 'they' don't want to see it but neither did Britain, France et al want to see 53 independent African nations!!!

Maybe this is the heart of the entire US of Africa issue - the concern over the "they." And what 'they' think. I don't need to remind anyone on this site that the 'they' have never had Africa's best interest in mind.

The author and follow-up posts to this blog have referenced previous African leaders who guided their nation with true vision. Nyerere had his faults as a leader but let's evaluate his vision as the only head of state to sincerely take a stand against Idi Amin. Where was the moral leadership from the West? Other African leaders? Lacking.

The point is let's stop worrying what others think - African or not. If Africans believe it to be in the best interest then it will happen. For those that are against a USA like previous Nigerian leader Obassanjo + others - Africa will come around once the case for unity is made and fears about resource ownership, etc are alleviated.

For the next 50-100 years the world will be dominated by a handful of regional powers - why should Africa always be at the beck and call of the Chinese, the Europeans or the Americans! Forget it.

Who wants to join me in drafting a real pan-African constitution? Starting point is to take the NEPAD + AU constitutions and build on these!

"Don't you want to help save Africa?"

2007-10-02T21:02:00.001+10:00

Uzodinma Iweala, an African-American writing in the Washington Post, scolded westerners to stop trying to "save" Africa. His point is well taken - there is a nuance in the language that anyone truly interested in 'making a contribution' to Sub Saharan Africa must be cognizant of. Mr. Iweala explains how he was 'acosted' by a perky blond college student and the article goes on to express his frustration at how many (white) Westerners jump on fashionable causes without a full understanding of the issues at play. Their efforts are, unfortunately, too often misguided and at the end of the day they are simply - uninformed.

Support for the Author

I share some of the author's sentiments and often feel the same way. His comments about western films and the perpetuation of African stereotypes whilst 'whitey' saves the day - is bang on! The Di Caprio Blood Diamond movie was weak for this very reason. I am cautious about over-generalizing (which the author is guilty of!) but I find that many do-good Westerners are actually quite ignorant of the real issues and likely couldn't even name a handful of African countries if they were asked.

A friend of mine working at the UN recently learned a lesson on the nuances of development language. He told an African colleague that he was soon going to Mali to help out...his colleague responded by saying 'You're going to do what?" He quickly learned he needed to be more careful with his words and his (well-intentioned) approach - better to refer to one's efforts as "partner/contribute in Africa" and offering up support/wisdom of one's professional experiences.

Critique of the Author's views

One thing I have noticed about debating development issues with some Africans - whether they are based in SS Africa or the West - is they are deeply suspicious about 'external' partners. They have every reason to be given the last several hundred years and particularly the 1980's and 1990's. Too often, however, they are quick to paint all Westerners with the same brush. There are non-Africans who do know a heck of a lot about the continent and have solid ideas about the next steps in development. It would be an error of egregious proportions to dismiss their perspectives.

I understand very well why Africans think non-Africans are clueless. On my way to Nairobi in 2003, I got into an Ottawa cab with an Eritrean driver. He informed me that a Cnd. foreign affairs officer asked him where he was from, and when he answered this diplomat had no idea where Eritrea was! Good lord that is shocking - even with all the media attention Ethiopia and Eritrea were getting at that time! I am sure this is not indicative of the (lack of) basic knowledge of other Cdn diplomats. However, incidents like this only reinforce stereotypes, and fuels the contempt that Mr. Iweala does not conceal.

But as much as that blue-eyed blonde was over the top/punching well above her weight in the call to "save Africa," at the end of the day, she is nonetheless taking (albeit minor) action. Unlike her fellow privileged Westerners who probably don't stop for a minute to consider those less fortunate, so far away. But is the excuse for this lack of awareness/empathy/action that Westerners are too preoccupied with their own problems/issues - such as depression/relationship challenges/losing your job, etc.? Even if these issues pale in comparison to the plight of a young African, say in Mozambique, they nonetheless must be dealt with. Fair enough - but let's step back from it - SS Africans have ALL these issues IN ADDITION to facing numerous socio-economic calamities.

Where to from here?

I think the next decade or so - the focus for SS African development must be on economic empowerment at the individual level. Reduce individual's dependance on the 'other' - whether it is national governments, financial institutions or private foundations. This is by no means a panacea - debt relief, ODA, continued awareness of critical development issues in the West and increased access to Western markets for African goods - are all essential pieces of the puzzle. Taken together, all of this won't 'save' Africa but it will make a solid dent in fighting the catastrophic poverty that continues to cripple many African countries.

The future of the continent is ultimately in the hands of a new generation of Africans - and I have seen with my own eyes the incredible talent in the youth of countries like Nigeria, S. Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. Should my offer to contribute be considered, and I think I make a strong case, it comes without hesitation and mindful of the power associated with the "accumulation of individual actions."

As Robert Kennedy so eloquently put it decades ago:

"Let no one be discouraged by the belief there is nothing one man or woman can do against the enormous array of the world's ills - against misery and ignorance, injustice and violence...few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. It is from the numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped."

"And as we let our own light shine..."

2007-09-26T20:59:00.000+10:00

This website is created as a result of the authors experiences travelling the globe, working in East and South Africa and engaging in countless political debates (even if Lonely Planet suggests this is taboo!) with Africans and non Africans alike. These discussions have been casual - such as over dinner or at a friend's house and also formal - such as at UN conferences or at politically charged youth conferences.

Bob Marley and others before + after him have sung about the need for Africa to unite. I have studied a lot of this music. Amnesty International gave Marley what I thought to be an unparalleled honour, and something many of today's "leaders" certainly don't get: AI said every where they travel around the globe, Bob Marley's music is the symbol of freedom. I would also agree with that, based on my travel experiences. Marley despised the political classes, and believed that all Africans were truly at home in Africa and the diaspora should eventually lead back there. It is easy to see why Marley believed this - during his time - every leader in the western world was white, even after Jamaica gained independance in the 60's white Prime Ministers were still running the show.

The problem is not that the PM's were white, it is that they and their circle of advisors used their authority to manipulate the country's black majority - to keep them fighting each other instead of uprooting their oppressors - predominantly the priviledged white class. Less than twenty years later this is what Nelson Mandela and co. accomplished in South Africa. Mandela and his supporters formed government against all odds and with very little support from the West, certainly none from Britain or America. Though the current situation facing black people in South Africa still deeply bothers me. The political chaos and general destitution in Jamaica frustrated Marley to no end - but he did not join in the armed struggle. Though that was the natural thing for a young man to do at the time. He used this frustration as inspiration for his music. And that is a truly beautiful thing; turning one man's passion into artistic melody that united a nation and all those struggling in poverty around the world. And today that "rebel music" has only gotten more potent.

I don't think anyone should kid themselves about the difficulties of achieving this 'ultimate' unification, despite the fact that colonial countries were primarily responsible for drawing up the borders of current African states. This meddling has significantly weakened the possibilty for the continent to unite. I cannot help but see the (artificial) border between Mali and Burkina Faso; Tanzania and Burundi; Chad and Sudan or South Africa and Zimbabwe as the pet project of some western bureaucrat or colonel. All this to say though, achieving unification will not bring instant rewards.

There can be no doubt that the continent has been left behind - economically, socially and politically. This cannot be disputed; it is a fact. However, what can be disputed is the reason for why Africa remains under-developed? Development practioners and politicians talk all the time about how unlike other regions with large scale poverty like SE Asia or Latin America - economic growth in Africa is either in a state of perpetual stagnation or completely backwards. Why is this? While limited growth and increased poverty are facts that characterize Africa today, what is not a fact and remains the subject of controversy is the reasons for this: geographic isolation, politics, ideology, racism, "western meddling", slave trade, climate, disease, weak infrastructure, limited education and rampant corruption to name a few. However, today's leaders and yesterday's in both the South and North, have certainly proved that continuous finger pointing has gotten Africa nowhere and fast!

I also hear talk of Africa as if it was a singular concept. It is grossly dishonest to characterize Africa in such a way - it is multi-dimensional, complex and culturally diverse continent. If I refer to Africa, I always do so in the context of its future political vision - that of United States. I don't refer to Africa, as many outiders do, as some place far away - a distant land out of sight and out of mind. As I see it, there are millions of stories just waiting to be told in each of its regions. Unfortunately, many of these stories are told through western eyes and we see them in films such as Blood Diamond or Out of Africa - they are entertaining but do little to cure misconceived notions of the continent. Nor do they reveal the boldness of the African landscape, the passion and energy of its peoples and the wonders of every day life.

Despite all the regional complexities and conflicts that occur in Africa today I passionately believe that the the continent can unite into a single country, surpass the political and economic integration as seen in the formation of the European Union. Africa can and MUST rival and even exceed the unity between the federal and state governments in the "United States" of America. Yes, it is possible. And it would be easy for me to say, now, this will take many generations. I firmly believe, not to overlook the dangers inherent in rushing through an idea this big, the U.S. of Africa can happen in my generation. The seed was planted by others before me many many moons ago. On the flip side, look at what happens if the continent does not - Africa falls farther behind, a continued mass exodus of its people and economic + social malaise like never before.

This is and will remain the underlying political vision of this site. In addition, I want to use this site to inspire anyone interested about the amazing work that is going on in different regions of Africa. This work is carried out by Africans, but also by some Westerners who can not sleep at night with the current status quo. Some critics see these westerners as wannabe hero's and do-gooders, but it need not be like that. We do not wear a cape. I dislike categorization and detest those who use labels out of laziness and ignorance.

The best way to put it, to describe those that want to really contribute, really sacrifice and aspire to something more than a fat salary with good benefits, is quite simply 'individuals who are fed up + demand more of their own governments and their fellow citizens' (to hold them to account). I am sure many have stopped reading by now and have dismissed me as idealistic, perhaps even naive! Yet, my heart has broken several times fighting for this end and still the flame continues to burn.

Wisdom suggests that a society is judged by how it treats the least among us. It is far easier to focus one's efforts on what's right in front of you, what's visible. But what about global society?? Problems are not always right in front of us. Somewhere thousands of miles away my fellow human being is suffering in the most egregious of ways. CNN/BBC show me the images when they choose - but the reality is that suffering doesn't stop when the camera pans away. This is the world I now live in. I can't and won't stand idle.

More to come!