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Ethiopie-Erythrée : La hache de guerre serait-elle enfin enterrée entre les frères ennemis ?

Sara Hasnaa Mokaddem | Posted : September 07, 2018

Alors que le dialogue était totalement rompu entre l’Ethiopie et l’Erythrée, le nouveau premier ministre Ethiopien a pris le pays et la région complètement au dépourvu en annonçant, dès sa prise de fonction en avril 2018, son intention de tourner la page aux « années d'incompréhension » et de renouer le dialogue en mettant en œuvre les termes de l’Accord d’Alger signé en 2000, suite à une guerre fratricide (1998-2000) qui avait fait plus de 80000 morts. 

Le réchauffement entre les deux voisins s’était amorcé en juin 2018, mais et les derniers voyages symboliques d’Abiy Ahmed à Asmara et d’Isaias Afwerki à Addis Ababa confirment un réel dégel de leurs relations.

Marquant un tournant historique dans ce long différend frontalier qui a paralysé la région, ces pays Africains « frères » viennent de signer une déclaration de paix et d’amitié. Toute une série de mesures a été annoncée durant ces dernières semaines ; rétablissement des relations diplomatiques, relance des échanges culturels et économiques avec la reprise des liaisons aériennes et téléphoniques entre les deux pays, et même la possibilité, pour l’Ethiopie, d’utiliser à nouveau les ports érythréens d’Assab et de Massawa. 

Ainsi, et pratiquement en un clin d’œil, des années d’animosité entre les deux pays passent à l’oubliette, mais comment un tel tournant a-t- il été réellement envisagé ? Et au-delà de la symbolique des accolades, et des réceptions fastueuses, s’agit-il vraiment d’un pas majeur vers une paix durable entre les deux pays ? 

Le partenariat Europe-Afrique-Méditerranée

Sabine Cessou | Posted : September 06, 2018

Le partenariat Europe-Afrique-Méditerrannée

Comment renforcer la relation historique entre l’Europe et l’Afrique, et faire en sorte que le développement des deux continents se fasse en osmose ? C’est la question qu’a posée Gilles Pargneaux, euro-député français issu du mouvement « En marche », dans sa présentation d’une conférence organisée en partenariat avec OCP Policy Center, au Parlement européen, à Bruxelles, le 4 septembre 2018. 

Président-fondateur de la Fondation EuroMedA (Europe-Méditerranée-Afrique), créée en 2017, Gilles Pargneaux est revenu sur la nécessité pour l’Europe de repenser sa relation avec l’Afrique, en raison de l’essor démographique de cette dernière et de la présence affirmée de nouveaux partenaires, dont la Chine et les Etats-Unis. « La Méditerranée et le Maroc, en particulier, représentent la clé de voûte pour trouver des solutions autour de ce partenariat », a affirmé l’euro-député.  

Is Digitalization the Future of Energy in Africa?

Rim Berahab | Posted : September 05, 2018

As the world is shifting away from conventional fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources, the power industry is starting to invest more in sustainable clean energy installations rather than the traditional large-scale infrastructures, which rely mainly on oil and coal. 

Besides its environmental benefits, this shift to renewables is very likely to benefit economic growth as well. A recent study of the International Renewable Energy Agency shows that, indeed, doubling the share of renewables in the energy mix by 2030 would lead to a rise of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) up to 1.1 percent. It would also improve global welfare by 3.7 per cent and support the creation of over 24 million jobs in the sector all over the world.

The Threat of Iran

Helmut Sorge | Posted : September 03, 2018

Bedrohung durch Iran

“NEVER EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN”

The President should have known better and reflected longer before firing verbal ballistic missiles towards the White House. No, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani got lost in some delusions other authoritarian leaders suffer from as well. “Iran’s power is deterrence,” the President of Iran insisted. “We have no fight or war with anyone but the enemies must understand well that war with Iran is the mother of all wars, and peace with Iran is the mother of all peace. We have never been intimidated- and respond threat with threat.” He further continued and addressed President Donald Trump directly, when he said, “don’t play with the lion’s tail, you will regret it. Know your words and their consequences.” 

Donald Trump, to no surprise to anyone due to his megalomaniac personality, did not hesitate to engage with Tehran, threatening on Twitter (where else), and in capital letters, a Trump-issued warning not polished in anyway by diplomatic sensitivities: 

“NEVER EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE AND DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS.” 

La "Trump/Buhari story" contrariée par l’affaire des Chrétiens nigérians

Abdelhak Bassou | Posted : August 31, 2018

En avril 2018, le président Donald Trump recevait, à la Maison-Blanche, le président nigérian, Muhammadu Buhari, qui venait d’annoncer sa candidature pour briguer un second mandat à la tête du Nigéria. La visite avait une valeur de première car, en effet, c’était la première visite officielle d'un dirigeant africain depuis l'investiture de Donald Trump. Les deux hommes tenaient à la réussite d’une telle visite :

What will it take to realize the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area?

Anabel Gonzalez | Posted : August 30, 2018

The agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a framework to create a free trade area across the region, bringing together the 55 members of the African Union into a continental market with a cumulative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) exceeding US$2.2 trillion and a total population of over one billion people. When concluded and successfully implemented, it will become the largest free trade area in the world in terms of membership, opening up significant opportunities for people and firms from the region and beyond. In signing the AfCFTA, African leaders have taken a very bold step. To convert their vision and political will into a full-fledged agreement that delivers on its promise will require hard work and tough decisions, in particular to maximize impact, bring many Africans to benefit and make the agreement work. 

République démocratique du Congo : Kabila renonce prudemment. Bemba, de chef de guerre à seigneur de la paix ?

Mehdi Benomar | Posted : August 29, 2018

En quelques semaines, la vie politique en République démocratique du Congo (RDC) autour du processus électoral1 rencontre une séquence de soubresaut et d’emballement. 
D’abord, la désignation d’un candidat2 du parti présidentiel peu après un discours cérémonial, en forme de bilan, du président Joseph Kabila, devant les élus ; puis l’acquittement surprise, par la Cour pénale internationale (CPI), de l’ancien vice-président Jean-Pierre Bemba, l’annonce de son retour et de sa candidature et, enfin, la poursuite du bras de fer politico-judiciaire autour de Moïse Katumbi, à présent sous mandat d’arrêt international, selon la justice de son pays. 

Pour un observateur, même éloigné, il est difficile de ne pas apprécier cette concomitance d'événements, accélérée, il est vrai, par l’annonce du Président et par les échéances du calendrier officiel ; le dépôt des candidatures auprès de la Commission électorale nationale indépendante (CENI) est, en effet, clos depuis le 8 août 2018.

Russia in Africa

Helmut Sorge | Posted : August 28, 2018

A NATION CRAVING TO RETURN TO GREATNESS

It was yet another turbulent episode reflecting the dark sides of politics and secret service conspiracies. Murder is the message. “Do not mess with us.” The killers wore turbans and spoke Arabic. What else is new? It was dark, not a good time to drive on a hellhole of a road in the Central African Republic, one of the poorest nations of the world. So poor that death has no price. Not many streets are paved and streetlights are as frequent as public faucets delivering drinking water. The assassination of three men didn’t surprise the citizens of the Central African Republic. It was very likely that President Faustin-ArchangeTouadéra was, initially, not informed about such a banality, killers in the night. Russian bodyguards protect the President. This night though, July 30 (after the bodies were recovered on the road to Sibut, 115 miles north of the capital Bangui) there was a sense of urgency – these men were journalists, and not just any, but journalists connected to the Investigation Control Center, and known in Moscow. They were working on a tough assignment, possibly touching state secrets. Secrets of the Kremlin. Under Vladimir Putin, the deployment of mercenaries occurred and the demonstration of Russian might illustrated, a nation craving to return to greatness. To relive the Soviet Union, is part of his logic, a political dream coupled with romantic notions as well as a hardly disguised streak of brutality – including the murder of reporters, which in the Russia of today, is part of the combat against dissent.

No Women, No Growth – The Case for Increasing Women’s Leadership in Latin America

Otaviano Canuto , Paula Tavares | Posted : August 27, 2018

Latin America is up against a momentous year on multiple fronts. On one hand, game-changing national elections in six countries, including three of its largest – Brazil, Mexico and Colombia – are poised to reshape the political scenario in the region. In parallel, the economic agenda is front and center of countries’ efforts to overcome imbalances, implement reforms and accelerate growth. As a backdrop to all this, an important feminist movement is unfolding on the heels of a year marked by discussions on gender equality, with critical implications on both the political and economic spheres.

Trials against ISIS

Helmut Sorge | Posted : August 15, 2018

“I DO NOT BELIEVE IN ISIS. I JUST WANT TO GO HOME”

It was a cage. A size large enough to transport six sheep to the market. The cage was made out of wood, possibly the local carpenter was praised for his work by the President of the court.  Wood is difficult to find these days, wood to resist the fury of a human being, forced to stand in the cage and listen to the verdict for his or her crime -- death by hanging, or life in prison. The woman standing in the cage on one of these hot, muggy days in Baghdad seemed fragile, yet controlled. She did not wail or cry or shout to the three judges facing her. Possibly Djamila Boutoutao, 29-year-old and mother of a two year old daughter, was expecting the darkness of the sentence, since she was familiar with darkness of war.  Her husband was killed in 2016, two years after they had arrived from their hometown Lille in the self-proclaimed caliphate of the Islamic State. A year later she lost her son, Abdullah.

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