Vol 53 No 6 | AFRICABRITAIN Getting out of the bush 16th March 2012 Accountants and managers at the BBC are calling time on the African service and cutting British influence on the continent The British Broadcasting Corporation’s decision to eviscerate its highly successful African Service looks counterproductive. It is all the more surprising given that Africa is being targeted by well-financed...
Vol 53 No 5 | SOMALIABRITAIN Martial music plays in London 2nd March 2012 Whispers of possible negotiations with Al Shabaab were drowned out by the drums of war The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) may have been hosting the London Conference on Somalia but there was no doubting that Downing Street was in the driving seat.
Vol 53 No 4 | SOMALIABRITAIN No great expectations 17th February 2012 British Prime Minister David Cameron’s grand conference will bring together many parties but no one is forecasting a breakthrough After two decades of political mayhem, Somalis and more perspicacious foreign diplomats are intensely sceptical about high-level conferences. Many approach the London Conference on Somalia on 23 February...
Vol 52 No 21 | TANZANIABRITAIN BAE Systems’ fine dilemma 21st October 2011 Confusion still surrounds British arms company BAE Systems’ failure to make its promised ex-gratia payment of £29.5 million (US$45.6 mn.) to Tanzania, as part of a global settlement...
Vol 52 No 19 | UNITED STATESBRITAIN No EITI for UK 23rd September 2011 Britain is refusing to follow United States President Barack Obama in joining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Asked why Britain would not take part, even though EITI was...
Vol 52 No 15 | TANZANIABRITAIN The radar scandal is back 22nd July 2011 After Westminster MPs lambast BAE over the radar saga, questions about the accountability of Tanzanian officials remain Hearings in the British parliament over the £29.5 million (US$47 mn.) BAE Systems must pay Tanzania over the radar affair have revived questions about whether any Tanzanians, especially...
Vol 52 No 15 | AFRICABRITAIN David meets Jacob 22nd July 2011 Accusations of corruption against police chiefs, plans for state interference with the media and innuendo about politicians compromised by business associates – British Prime Minister David Cameron and...
Vol 52 No 11 | KENYABRITAIN Bellingham brings warrants 27th May 2011 Britain’s Africa Minister Henry Bellingham was in Nairobi ‘promoting British interests’, officials said. However, few expected that to include delivering extradition warrants for two prominent Kenyans for fraud...
Vol 52 No 9 | AFRICABRITAIN Getting (not too) tough on corruption 29th April 2011 British companies fear that more rigorous laws on bribery could undermine their efforts to compete with Asian and European rivals The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development had criticised the delays in implementing the new Act but stayed silent when the guidance came out at the end of March. Britain...
Vol 52 No 3 | EGYPTBRITAIN Gamal Mubarak's retreat 4th February 2011 Gamal Mubarak, Egyptian presidential son and putative heir (until he announced on 3 February that he would not stand for President) of beleaguered President Hosni Mubarak, was widely rumoured to be...