Vol 1 (AAC) No 3 | SOUTH AFRICAINDIA Diamonds are not forever 24th October 2008 India’s diamond industry looks to African independent producers as supplies from diamond giant De Beers dry up Indian diamond traders are being forced to import rough diamonds directly from overseas suppliers after South Africa-based De Beers, the world’s largest supplier, recently slashed the number of...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 1 | ANGOLACHINA Big oil, high stakes 23rd October 2008 Luanda is Beijing’s closest ally in Africa but mystery surrounds the role of Chinese companies in rebuilding the country Beijing may try to stay out of African politics but the rivalries among Angola’s elite leave its diplomats little choice. The latest row over China’s US$6 billion credit line to the...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 1 | ANGOLACHINA China's Nova Luanda 23rd October 2008 The China International Fund (CIF) appears to be the construction arm of Beiya International Development Ltd, the parent company of China Angola Oil Stock Holding Ltd, which trades Angolan oil. ...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 1 | SOUTH AFRICAINDIA Hands across the water 23rd October 2008 The boom in Indian-South African relations is bringing together politicians, companies, and even Bollywood film stars and African actors. Both have their iconic statesmen – Nelson Mandela and Mohandas Gandhi, who briefly...
Vol 49 No 21 | ZAMBIA Pre-presidential discord 17th October 2008 Claims of vote-rigging sour the atmosphere for the poll that acting President Rupiah Banda looks likely to win Zambia, like Kenya andZimbabwe faces the risk of a disputed presidential election. The vote to replace the late Levy Patrick Mwanawasa is set for 30 October...
Vol 49 No 21 | ZIMBABWE A diamond power play 17th October 2008 Allegations of gem smuggling and hints of top-level trickery prompt a UN investigation General Solomon Mujuru, former head of the army and politicalkingmaker, is caught up in a feud over the ownership of one of Zimbabwe’s biggest diamond mines. Mujuru’s company...
Vol 49 No 21 | ZIMBABWE Mugabe rearranges the deckchairs 17th October 2008 Almost a month after the signing of the power-sharing agreement, Zimbabwe is no nearer to a new cabinet. The ink was barely dry on the accord before President Robert Mugabe left for New York to address the United Nations General Assembly with a 60-strong entourage. Muddles...
Vol 49 No 21 | ZIMBABWE Hunger stalks the land 17th October 2008 Malnourished children are dying in the countryside and the next harvest is unlikely to be better. Malnourished children are dying in the countryside and the next harvest is unlikely to be better. The combination of the worst drought for a decade and bad government...
Vol 49 No 21 | SOUTH AFRICA On the verge of a nervous breakdown 17th October 2008 A formal break in the ruling African National Congress is looming. On 13 October, its National WorkingCommittee, dominated by supporters of party President Jacob Zuma, suspended former party Chairman, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who announced five days earlier that...
Vol 49 No 21 | SOUTH AFRICA All politics is provincial 17th October 2008 All the African National Congress’s provincial branches are internally divided between Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma supporters. The Western Cape and Eastern Cape branches are still reeling from the pro-Zuma leadership’s sacking this year of their pro-Mbeki Premiers, Ebrahim Rasool and Nosimo Balindlela. On 10...