Analyse et réflexion – English

Political dynasties are families that have exerted disproportionate influence on the politics of their societies. If they are successful, they may produce more than one Head of State or Head of Government. But at the very minimum, political dynasties have produced political leaders in varied ranks of the political process.

I was going to write a blog not long ago where I would make you imagine yourself as a gorilla from the Congo. All 600lbs of you crossing that awe inspiring landscape, looking for food, searching for a mate, tending to your young and whatever other things massive primates do. But then I decided to go against that. After watching an episode of the Fifth Estate last night I decided to tell you another story to make my point and to be brutally honest.

Many people consider China to be Africa’s new best friend, discovered after years and years of searching. Is this really the case? What are the common misconceptions about Chinese Investment in Africa? How much of a win-win relationship is this? Who benefits most out of this deal? Find out here.

I’ve been thinking more about what I said in my last post about cellphones and the Congo, specifically on the issue of the power of consumers to make a difference…

A discussion about Gorilla murders in Africa’s Virunga National Park with Dr. Emmanuel de Merode, Brent Stirton and Godefroid Wambale.

Having spent the last week in the Congo – mostly in Kisangani (pictured above) for an evaluation project, I’ve been thinking about cultural issues and evaluation – in particular how evaluators are perceived in different societies as I’ve written about before.

Dieu-Donné WEDI DJAMBA argues that the march toward democracy in Africa is not only under threat by dictators using dictatorial means to stay in power, but also by democratically elected leaders who use democratic processes to cement their hold over power.

Preview: The promise and hope of the 1960s independence seems gone with the wind. The prevailing hopeful winds of independence once blowing through the length and the breadth of the continent, has given way to prevailing winds of violence, busted dreams, misrule, dictatorship, social injustice, economical and political meltdown. The emerging post colonial states once shooting for heights and idealism, freedom and liberty, have given way to basket case, regressive and despotic states.

In this essay, Horace Campbell looks at the importance of Africa Liberation Day, its changing relevances as Africans are betrayed by the architects of first independence and how, through struggle, we can reclaim and fulfill its promise.