Vol 43 No 12 | ZAMBIA Cobalt crunch 14th June 2002 This week, Finance Minister Emmanuel Kasonde receives the final audit report explaining how Zambia lost at least US$60 million in a cobalt marketing agreement with Bahamas-based Metal Resources...
Vol 43 No 11 | ZIMBABWE Hungry for change 31st May 2002 The famine sweeping Southern Africa threatens several governments – of which Robert Mugabe's is the most vulnerable Some 20 million people in Southern Africa are at risk from mounting crop failures and food shortages. Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique are the worst hit by a mixture...
Vol 43 No 11 | LESOTHO Caught out 31st May 2002 The easy re-election of the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy in the 25 May general elections handed a new mandate to a government determined to pursue those suspected...
Vol 43 No 10 | SOUTH AFRICA Will the real Thabo Mbeki stand up? 17th May 2002 Ahead of a hectic six months of hosting world leaders and trying to wring trade concessions from them, Mbeki changes course This year's workload for President Thabo Mbeki is overwhelming. He and his colleagues from Africa's big nations must oversee the transformation of the Organisation of African Unity into...
Vol 43 No 10 | SOUTH AFRICA Mbeki's front line 17th May 2002 In a year of international negotiations and party elections, Mbeki will need loyal friends President Thabo Mbeki's rapid rise in the African National Congress after it was legalised in 1990 surprised many outsiders. Yet for years inside the tent, Mbeki built a...
Vol 43 No 10 | MADAGASCAR Two to tango 17th May 2002 The army may step in to prevent the politicians breaking the country apart Two presidents, two parliaments, two capitals, two economies next, two countries? That seems to be the aim of the veteran Red Admiral, Didier Ratsiraka, who clings to the...
Vol 43 No 9 | ZAMBIA Who's got the money? 3rd May 2002 It still isn't clear just who won the election and who stole the cash President Levy Mwanawasa has bounced back from his stolen election in December and is surprising his many detractors by fending off both the opposition (which holds 81 of...
Vol 43 No 9 | ZAMBIA Cobalt cash 3rd May 2002 An audit report will soon be released on how Zambia's state mining company lost as much as US$60 million exporting cobalt to the Bahamas-based Metal Resources Group. That...
Vol 43 No 8 | ANGOLA An edited peace 19th April 2002 Quick moves to a ceasefire; much slower ones on political and economic reforms There are three reasons why the rebels of the União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola will not go to war again against the Movimento Popular de...
Vol 43 No 7 | ZIMBABWE Stalemate 5th April 2002 Shrinking credibility and economic chaos push Mugabe towards the negotiating table In a brutal game of political chess with his opponents, President Robert Mugabe now seems to be stalemated. Chronic shortages of food and fuel are forcing Mugabe and...