Opinion & Analysis

Dec. 22, 2012
Eritrea: The Fog Over the Red Sea: Eritrea's strict media control

Eritrea: The Fog Over the Red Sea: Eritrea's strict media control

This article was written by Armin Rosen, the Atlantic‘s International Channel producer and was originally published here. Eritrean information minister Ali Abdu, who is rumored to have defected this past week, helped build one of the world’s strictest systems of media control. Eritrea sits on some of the most important real estate in Africa, occupying a thin... Read more »

Dec. 15, 2012
What Next?: Ambassador Rice's Chanceto Rehabilitate Image

What Next?: Ambassador Rice's Chanceto Rehabilitate Image

It has been quite a week here at Africa Talks. After the Op-Ed titled “Susan Rice and Africa’s Despots” was published on Monday in the New York Times, I have received varied reactions from different sources including journalists in the mainstream media, scholars and diplomats. Many of them came to Ambassador Susan Rice’s defense. But most importantly, the... Read more »

Dec. 12, 2012
Rice: Hitting ‘reset’ on Africa talks

Rice: Hitting ‘reset’ on Africa talks

Michael O’Hanlon, in his Reuters Opinion piece, “In defense of Susan Rice” (Reuters, December 10, 2012), took issue with my New York Times op-ed article, “Susan Rice and Africa’s Despots” (December 9, 2012). Mine were not ad hominem attacks. It is fair to hold a public official accountable for her career and for the roles... Read more »

Nov. 14, 2012
Building Bridges:  An Ambassador Reflects on U.S.-Africa Relations

Building Bridges: An Ambassador Reflects on U.S.-Africa Relations

In the last blog entry, I wrote that Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger was visiting the University of South Florida as part of an event sponsored by the Center for Strategic and Diplomatic Studies. Amb. Ranneberger gave a lecture titled “U.S. Foreign Policy in Africa: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities” through the center’s “Lecture Series on National Security.”... Read more »

August 7, 2012
Malawi’s Activists Turned Politicians: What Standards Should Joyce Banda’s Administration Be Held To?

Malawi’s Activists Turned Politicians: What Standards Should Joyce Banda’s Administration Be Held To?

In the wake of the death of Malawi’s former president, Bingu wa Mutharika due to cardiac arrest, the country’s political leadership has welcomed a new guard. Joyce Banda, an outspoken activist and leader of the People’s Party, became the president of the country making her the second female president in Africa. In the relatively short period of time until... Read more »

August 2, 2012
A Twitter Moment with Africa’s Straight Shooter: George Ayittey

A Twitter Moment with Africa’s Straight Shooter: George Ayittey

During the past five years of my stay in the United States, I have come across different members of the African diaspora who are passionate about the future of the continent. I’ve talked to ambitious educated individuals who’ve expressed their determination to one day go back and contribute. On the contrary, I’ve also come across... Read more »

July 29, 2012
A Growing Case of Shooting the Messenger: Africa Coverage

A Growing Case of Shooting the Messenger: Africa Coverage

You’ve come across this. I’m sure of it. Imagine watching an important speech about something groundbreaking and getting interrupted by an annoying comment about what the speaker is wearing instead of what he is saying. If you’re an active social media user like I am, you probably have seen what I call the “snark bombers”... Read more »