Institute for peace support and conflict management (IFK) Africa-Workshop January 26th to 27th, 2006: Sorting Out the Mess: Wars, Conflicts and Conflict Management in West Africa To assess the expectations West Africa can look forward to from Europe, there is, first, the need to understand the root causes of the problems that have beset the populations and the … [Read more...] about West African expectations of Europe
Senegal
How the French Plunder Africa
France's unchallenged political, economic, and military domination of its former sub-Saharan African colonies is rooted in a currency, the CFA franc. Created in 1948 to help France control the destiny of its colonies, fourteen countries--Benin, Burkina-Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Bissau … [Read more...] about How the French Plunder Africa
Franc Zone must go
The Heads of African States, some of whom would not hesitate to shun an OAU meeting but would rush to meet the French President at the bi-annual gathering, display everlasting dependence whose foundations are made up of a scar and a web. Nothing illustrates better the incapacity of Francophone African leaders to break away from the former coloniser than the declaration, in … [Read more...] about Franc Zone must go
Sub-Saharan Africa on the Sidelines, A false economic dawn?
After the collapse of the Mobutu regime Zaire, now renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been left stripped of resources, in spite of the mineral wealth being eyed covetously by foreign investors. Elsewhere, the International Monetary Fund's figures point to a significant improvement in sub-Saharan Africa. However, imposing structural adjustment, privatisation and … [Read more...] about Sub-Saharan Africa on the Sidelines, A false economic dawn?
Why the CFA franc must go
Sanou MBaye suggests that the price of maintaining links with France is too high FOURTEEN OF THE former West African French colonies use the CFA franc, whose exchange rate is pegged to the French franc, as a common currency. The CFA franc was created, in its initial form, in the 19th century to help France shape and control the economies of her colonies. The scheme was quite … [Read more...] about Why the CFA franc must go
Sanou MBaye suggests that the price of maintaining links with France is too high
FOURTEEN OF THE former West African French colonies use the CFA franc, whose exchange rate is pegged to the French franc, as a common currency. The CFA franc was created, in its initial form, in the 19th century to help France shape and control the economies of her colonies. The scheme was quite useful to France, which it helped to resist the tremors of the economic crises of … [Read more...] about Sanou MBaye suggests that the price of maintaining links with France is too high
Senegal: Contrasting achievements in political and economic changes
FROM THE LATE seventies to the present, Senegal has been going through a major political and economic change designed to generate economic growth and development. An appraisal of the results generated by these changes would show a picture of contrasting achievements. On the political front, the agreement between the government and two opposition parties to form a coalition … [Read more...] about Senegal: Contrasting achievements in political and economic changes