Africa Follow

In the third part of our series on National Liberation, Simon Basketter charts the downfall of Rhodesia’s white elite

British ministers’ claims that they are leading the global fight against poverty will ring hollow unless the government changes policies which harm rather than help developing countries.

One of Africa’s most brutal dictators died last week. The population he had repressed for over four decades first rejoiced and then burst into protest for change and democracy. Gnassingbe Eyadema’s death brought to an end 38 years of his rule in Togo. The military then announced that his son, Faure Gnassingbe, would be taking over immediately as president.

FEAR AND hatred of all things Islamic and Middle Eastern is nothing new. Within a relatively short period of time from the 7th century, Islam spread across the Middle East, North Africa and finally into Europe itself, through Spain. Christendom was threatened and outraged. The Eastern Roman Empire faced a new foe — a new "barbarian at the gates".

THE PROBLEM of debt repayment is at its most acute in Africa where countries already blighted by war are also forced to spend billions repaying or simply servicing debt. This means that there is no investment in infrastructure, education or health. As a campaigner for refugees in Glasgow I have been working with the African community to stop deportations.

"Same car, different driver" is a phrase you can hear on the streets of the West African country of Sierra Leone every day. It sums up our bitter feelings about the government which has ruled since civil war began in 1991.

GORDON BROWN will have been delighted to have his photo taken next to a smiling Nelson Mandela last weekend. It was an important battle won against Tony Blair in the contest over who will be seen as the "saviour of Africa".

THIRD WORLD countries are often told that free trade will bring them prosperity. But in Mauritius—a small African island state just east of Madagascar—we know this claim is a myth.

THE BBC traditionally fills the time between Christmas and the new year with programmes reviewing the state of world politics. There was one on Radio Four on New Year’s Day by leading BBC journalists.

MATTHEWS NDLOVU, a South African activist fighting against privatisation, has been sentenced to two years in jail for "malicious damage to property".

EVERY DAY 8,000 people die from AIDS. The United Nations AIDS programme has estimated that £20,000 million a year could treat six million AIDS sufferers with life saving drugs.

THE SOUTH African government’s actions over the telecom industry have focused all the feeling about how only an elite has benefited in the post-apartheid economy.