AFRICA ARCHIVE :

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Washington Post, 21 May 09, by Karin Brulliard
U.S. Outreach On Rough Seas Off Western Africa
'Naval Effort Seeks to Build Stability, Trust in Strategic Region'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 May 09, by Heba Aly
In Somalia, African Union takes the offensive in information war
'AMISOM is rehabilitating Radio Mogadishu and publishing articles to "empower" Somalis and push back against Islamist insurgents.'

Washington Post, 18 May 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
Rebels Threaten Somali Government
'A major offensive by Somalia's Islamist rebels is posing the most serious challenge yet to the country's latest central government, reviving long-standing concerns that the chaotic Horn of Africa nation could fall entirely to militants with alleged ties to al-Qaeda.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 May 09, by Scott Baldauf
Somali government encircled by hardline Islamists
'After five days of assault by better-armed Al Shabab militiamen, pro-government fighters have apparently begun to retreat.'

New York Times, 08 May 09, by Jeffrey Gettleman
For Somali Pirates, Worst Enemy May Be on Shore
'For the first time in this pirate-infested region of northern Somalia, some of the very communities that had been flourishing with pirate dollars — supplying these well-known criminals with sanctuary, support, brides, respect and even government help — are now trying to push them out.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 May 09, by Duncan Woodside
Soldier pay threatens to undo Congo's progress against rebels
'Many soldiers haven't seen wages for months. Meanwhile, a Hutu militia is increasing attacks on civilians in response to the military offensive.'

BBC News, 07 May 09
Amnesty law for DR Congo militias
'MPs in the Democratic Republic of Congo have passed a law granting amnesty to militias in the east of the country.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 May 09, by Shashank Bengali, McClatchy Newspapers
An interview with a jailed Somali pirate leader
B'ehind the bare brick walls of a desolate former British colonial prison in Somali land, five jailed Somali pirates didn't seem very fearsome at all.'

Washington Post, 25 Apr 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
Precarious South Essential to Sudan
'The nascent government of southern Sudan, a key U.S. ally in the volatile nation, is threatened by severe problems including severe cash shortages and growing ethnic tensions spawned by a national ruling party determined to see the south fail, southern officials say.'

Washington Post/AP, 23 Apr 09
Where South Africa's Zuma stands on policy issues
'A look at how Jacob Zuma, the man poised to become South Africa's next president, might tackle key issues.'

BBC News, 15 Apr 09
Fighting off the Somali pirates
'The recent escalation in pirate attacks has again highlighted the vulnerability of shipping off the coast of Somalia.'

The Scotsman, 15 Apr 09, by Elizabeth Kennedy and Alison Bevege
Back to work ... defiant Somali pirates seize four more ships
'Only days after five of their number were killed in French and American hostage rescues, Somali pirates brazenly hijacked four more ships in the Gulf of Aden yesterday.'

Voice of America, 10 Apr 09, by Joe DeCapua
Somali Piracy - Causes and Consequences
'The ongoing Somali piracy problem in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean raises a number of legal and military issues about how to deal with the problem.'

Providence Journal, 11 Apr 09, by John E. Mulligan
1st piracy of U.S. ship in 200 years reveals growing, costly threat
'The first piracy of a U.S. merchant ship since the Barbary Wars has focused this country's attention on the high-seas crime wave that followed the collapse of Somalia in the 1990s and is now inflicting ever-greater ransom costs on traders from the British Isles to the Far East.'

Reuters, 15 Apr 09, by Jonathan Saul
Q+A: What can ships do if attacked by pirates?
'Maritime organizations have issued recommendations to captains and their crews when coming under attack by pirates.'

FOX News, 15 Apr 09, by Paul Wagenseil
Ten High-Tech Weapons to Repel Pirates
'So if the cargo ships can't fire back, how can they defend themselves against pirates? A number of non-lethal solutions have been suggested and tried, some low-tech, some practically science fiction.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 09, by Shashank Bengala, McClatchy Newspapers
How the US crew fought off Somali pirates
'For the first time, crewmembers of the Maersk Alabama share details of their Indian Ocean encounter.'

New York Times, 09 Apr 09, by Mark Mazzetti and Mark McDonald
Navy Destroyer Tracking Somali Pirates and their U.S. Hostage
'A U.S. Navy destroyer kept close watch Thursday on a lifeboat holding four Somali pirates and their hostage — an American ship captain — one day after the pirates briefly seized a United States-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Africa.'

AP, 09 Apr 09
Timeline of International Action Against Piracy
'There have been sporadic international efforts to tackle piracy off the coast of Somalia for a number of years. But those efforts became more determined last year following an unprecedented rise in attacks.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Apr 09, by Howard LaFranchi
Who will stop the pirates?
'American merchant sailors showed their mettle in retaking a hijacked ship, but piracy off Somalia continues to vex the international community.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Apr 09, by Kristen Chick
Piracy 'surge' off Somali coast
'Pirates seized five ships in a 48-hour period ending Monday.'

The Guardian, 08 Apr 09, by Xan Rice
Analysis: The weather, not the warships, kept Somali pirates at bay
'Hijacking of US-flagged Alabama shows gangs have weathered the storm and changed tactics to outwit international community.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar 09, by Elwin Verheggen
Sudan bombs Darfur rebels – and civilians – amid calls for a 'no-fly' zone.
'To oust JEM [the Justice and Equality Movement], who are supported by neighboring Chad, from Muhajirya, the Sudanese government launched an offensive, sending in ground troops and bombing the area for about three weeks.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Mar 09, by Lydia Polgreen
As Chinese investments in Africa drop, so does hope
'As global commodity prices have plummeted and several of China's African partners have stumbled deeper into chaos, China has backed away from some of its riskiest and most aggressive plans, looking for the same guarantees that Western companies have long sought for their investments: economic and political stability.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 19 Mar 09
New president takes control in Madagascar
'Andry Rajoelina, the new president of Madagascar, celebrated and consolidated power on Wednesday after being appointed by the military in a move that flouted the Indian Ocean island's Constitution.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Mar 09, by Michael Slackman
For non-Libyans, Qaddafi hardly the African savior he likes to portray
'As chairman of the African Union, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, has blamed Israel and other foreign forces for the conflict in Darfur, defended Somali pirates for fighting "greedy Western nations" and declared that multiparty democracy is not right for the people of Africa.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Mar 09, by Barry Bearak
Army mutiny heightens Madagascar crisis
'A mutiny within the military has intensified the political crisis in Madagascar, an impoverished island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa that has suffered turmoil most of this year.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Mar 09, by Lydia Polgreen
2 slayings in West Africa may signal a new day
'Guinea-Bissau appears more stable after the deaths of its president and army chief of staff, whose rivalry had destabilized the country.'

Washington Post, 12 Mar 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
Somali President Courts Insurgents
'Many Somalis say they hope that Ahmed, who comes from Mogadishu's dominant Hawiye clan and enjoys the respect of influential Somali clerics, will be able to quell the Islamist insurgency -- something his combative secular predecessor Abdullahi Yusuf, who was from a rival clan, failed to do. Others say they fear that Somalia is on the verge of sinking into a religious war among Islamic factions.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Mar 09, by Marlise Simons and Neil MacFarquhar
Sudan leader defies arrest order on war crimes charges
'One day after judges at the International Criminal Court ordered his arrest for atrocities committed in Darfur, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan offered a fiery and defiant response on Thursday, telling a crowd of thousands in his own country that "we are not succumbing, we are not bending" to outside pressure.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Mar 09, by Scott Baldauf
War crimes warrant for Bashir risks sparking unrest in Sudan
'Critics worry the warrant could worsen Sudan's deadly conflicts and raises issues of double standards. Still, it's a potent symbol for the victims of the crisis in Darfur.'

BBC News, 05 Mar 09
Uganda to continue Congo LRA hunt
'Uganda says the Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to let its troops continue to pursue Lord's Resistance Army rebels in northern DR Congo.'

Washington Post, 28 Feb 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
Congo, Rwanda Call Joint Offensive a Success
'Observers are more guarded, warning that situation may have been improved only a little.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb 09, by David Montero
Concerns grow over global reach of Somali militants
'As Somalia's new president and prime minister vow to uphold peace, evidence is emerging of the international reach of Somalia's Al Qaeda-linked extremist groups.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb 09, by Scott Baldauf
Why did Sudan make a deal with Darfur rebels?
'Khartoum has agreed to swap prisoners and talk with Darfur insurgents.'

Washington Post, 13 Feb 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
Rwanda's Move Into Congo Fuels Suspicion
'Some in mineral-rich region see broader motives than disarming Hutu militiamen.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Feb 09, by Neil MacFarquhar
New demands overwhelm UN peacekeeping missions
'The new demands come at a time when member states with advanced armies in particular have become more resistant to committing additional troops or even necessary equipment like helicopters. Those challenges have only added to a deeper and longstanding problem: The continued lack of clarity about how the United Nations should intervene when its members lack either the military force or the political will - or both - to halt carnage.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Feb 09, by Scott Baldauf
With Tsvangirai as PM, Zimbabwe's power-sharing begins
'Now that Tsvangirai has joined the government, he risks the same fate of other opposition leaders who have been swallowed up and neutralized by Mugabe's powerful ZANU-PF party. But Adam Habib, a political analyst and vice chancellor at the University of Johannesburg, says that Tsvangirai should move quickly to sort out some of Zimbabwe's problems, and thereby create more political room for maneuver.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Feb 09, by Max Delany
Brutal retreat of LRA rebels in Congo
'The joint mission to finish off the notorious Lord's Resistance Army has led to more than 900 deaths and displaced more than 1,330 civilians since it began nearly two months ago.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Feb 09, by Scott Baldauf
Moderate Islamists take on hard-liners in battle for Somalia
'Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, a moderate, was elected president last week by Somalia's transitional parliament. But hard-line militant Islamists are fighting to take over the country.'

Washington Post, 04 Feb 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
In Congo, an Exodus of Militiamen
'U.N. unit overwhelmed as Rwandan Hutus lay down arms, seek repatriation.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Feb 09, by Lydia Polgreen
Qaddafi's dream of unity may be just out of reach
'Qaddafi is an ardent supporter of a long-held dream of transforming Africa, a collection of post-colonial fragments divided by borders that were drawn arbitrarily by Western powers, into a vast, unified state that could play a powerful role in global affairs. He has repeatedly proposed immediate unity and the establishment of a single currency, army and passport for the entire continent.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Feb 09, by Scott Baldauf
How team of rivals could still save Zimbabwe
'... Mr. Mugabe's long rule has left the country bankrupt, hungry, disease-ridden, and in desperate need of foreign aid. Tsvangirai may not have troops, but he has things Mugabe desperately needs: access to foreign donors and expertise that can make Zimbabwe function again.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Jan 09, by Somini Sengupta and Mark McDonald
Sri Lanka rejects report implicating government soldiers
'Sri Lanka on Thursday rejected a report from the International Committee of the Red Cross that implicated government troops in preventing the aid agency from assisting and evacuating wounded civilians.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jan 09, by Norimitsu Onishi and Mark McDonald
Japan to escort ships off the coast of Somalia
'The deployment, which would be considered a police action, is not expected to be as politically sensitive as military missions undertaken by Japan in recent years. The country's pacifist Constitution restricts the activities of its military, known as the Self-Defense Forces.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan 09, by Jina Moore
Rwanda-Congo move isolates UN mission
'Last week's deployment of Rwandan troops to fight rebels in Congo caught the 17,000-strong UN mission by surprise.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jan 09, by Mohammed Ibrahim and Alan Cowell
Islamists overrun Somalia city as Ethiopians leave
'Islamist insurgents took over the city that houses Somalia's Parliament on Monday, just hours after Ethiopian troops withdrew and formally ended a failed two-year effort to defeat Islamist militants in the country.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Jan 09, by Jeffrey Gettleman
Arrested leader of Congo rebels may not be finished
'Nkunda was one of Congo's most powerful and unpredictable rebel leaders, a megalomaniac with proven military skill who, until his arrest along the Congo-Rwanda border, had single-handedly destabilized a large chunk of central Africa.'

Washington Post, 28 Jan 09, by Karin Brulliard
Zimbabwe Deal's Fate Unknown Amid Conflicting Accounts
'Zimbabwe's fragile power-sharing pact remained in limbo Tuesday, after southern African leaders said the nation's rival parties had come to an agreement but the main opposition party denied that.'

Washington Post, 26 Jan 09, by Karin Brulliard and Colum Lynch
A Growing Chorus In S. Africa Urges Action on Mugabe
'... as the 15-nation Southern African Development Community meets Monday in Pretoria to discuss the crisis in Zimbabwe, there is little sign that South Africa, the group's chair and regional powerhouse, will call for an end to Mugabe's 28-year rule or even criticize it.'

Washington Post, 24 Jan 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
Rwanda's Arrest of Congolese Rebel Leader Marks a Key Shift
'The arrest of renegade Congolese Gen. Laurent Nkunda by his former Rwandan allies portends a dramatic shift in a complex conflict that has raged and simmered across the region since 1994, when the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide spilled across the border into eastern Congo.'

Washington Post, 22 Jan 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
With Ethiopian Pullout, Islamists Rise Again in Somalia
'Moderates seeking power face challenges from radical militia, others.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan 09, by Scott Baldauf
Will Rwandan troops help in Congo?
'More than 2,000 Rwandan troops entered Congo Tuesday to help hunt down Hutu rebels who are blamed for the 1994 genocide of about 800,000 Rwandan Tutsis.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Jan 09, by Mohamed Ibrahim and Jeffrey Gettleman
Ethiopians withdraw from key bases in Somalia
'Ethiopian troops pulled out from crucial bases in Mogadishu on Tuesday, leaving a power vacuum that was quickly filled by Islamist fighters who seized their positions.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Jan 09, by Lydia Polgreen
Leadership fracture threatens Congo rebels' power
'Disagreements over tactics and power have split the once invincible-seeming Congolese rebel group that has played havoc across the eastern side of Congo over the past year and has brought its weakened government to the edge of collapse.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Jan 09, by Tristan McConnell
Ghana's new president: Africa's symbol of a working democracy
'Ghana's orderly transition of power is a bright spot after a dismal year for democracy in Africa.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Jan 09, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
U.S. to airlift supplies to Darfur
'With just 15 days left in office, President George W. Bush announced that he had ordered an immediate airlift to deliver vehicles and equipment to the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan to bolster a struggling international peacekeeping effort there.'

Washington Post, 03 Jan 09, by Stephanie McCrummen
Ethiopia Begins Somalia Pullout
'Resulting power vaccuum likely to unleash scramble for power.'

2008 Africa archive
2007 Africa archive