Vol 47 No 7 | SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE Enter kingmakers 31st March 2006 The results of the 26 March elections will fuel concern among neighbouring countries. The coalition led by the Movimento Democrático das Forças da Mudança (MDFM), nominally loyal to...
Vol 47 No 6 | NIGERIA Showdown in the Delta 17th March 2006 Everyone is getting ready for more hostilities in the oil-producing regions as the 2007 elections approach The militants know that hostage-taking and cutting pipelines is the quickest way to draw international attention to the Niger Delta, as part of the cat and mouse game...
Vol 47 No 6 | NIGERIA Stealing, fighting, seeking power 17th March 2006 Some of the militant leaders linked to the attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta earn tens of thousands of dollars from contracts with the oil majors....
Vol 47 No 6 | GHANA Exporting the vote 17th March 2006 Overseas citizens help pay Ghana's bills and want to elect its next government Some three million Ghanaians living overseas are entitled to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections, since President John Agyekum Kufuor signed the Representation of the People Law Amendment...
Vol 47 No 5 | SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE Rich pickings 3rd March 2006 Expectations of an imminent oil boom may dominate campaigning for the 26 March parliamentary elections. It is five years since São Tomé signed a deal with Nigeria to...
Vol 47 No 4 | CÔTE D'IVOIRE Not all necessary powers 17th February 2006 Power struggles and postcolonial fantasies prevent the UN from disentangling the conflict There is no sign of a letup in the conflict between President Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Konan Banny, the former banker appointed Prime Minister last November. The United...
Vol 47 No 4 | NIGERIA Africa's loss 17th February 2006 Beko Ransome-Kuti's death robs Africa of one of its bravest freedom fighters Opposition in Africa, and particularly Nigeria, is a dangerous business. It requires courage, determination and integrity; even then there is no guarantee of success. Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti had...
Vol 47 No 3 | NIGERIA Mystery kidnappers 3rd February 2006 Crooks, mercenaries and ambitious politicians were mixed up in the deal to free the hostages The release of four foreign hostages after 19 days in captivity in the Niger Delta did not end the crisis (AC Vol 47 Nos 1 & 2). Nor...
Vol 47 No 2 | NIGERIA A New Year offensive 20th January 2006 Oil prices rise as hardline militia groups demand the release of Delta leaders and the exit of foreign companies The main puzzle about the latest wave of attacks and kidnappings to sweep the Niger Delta is why it took so long this time. Local leaders had been...
Vol 47 No 2 | NIGERIA The Sino-Shango pact 20th January 2006 China's US$2.27 billion foray into oil production for a 45 per cent stake in Nigeria's Block 130 is not the 'definitive agreement' that the China National Offshore Oil...