New African articles from March 2009

New African archives from March 2009

Thank god! Zimbabwe has finally sworn in its power-sharing government, eight long months after the presidential run-off in June last year. At last, everyone realises that the people deserve a break. But will the West come on board, lift the economic sanctions, and support the new government with much-needed financial assistance? Mabasa Sasa, in Harare, looks at all the permutations.(ZIMBABWE)
March 1, 2009... The atmosphere across Zimbabwe's major urban areas after President Robert Mugabe swore into office opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister was more of relief than of outright celebration. Following months of backwards and forwards...

Diamonds not forever: Africa's shining example of economic management, Botswana, is losing sleep. Investors, stakeholders and ordinary citizens all have their eyes glued on the country's mining sector and particularly the diamond mines, as the global economic slowdown wreaks vengeance on commodity prices, reports Silethemba Mathe from Gaborone.(BOTSWANA)
March 1, 2009... What began as a housing subprime credit crisis in the United States more than a year ago, has eventually unleashed a domino effect on many economies around the world. Botswana has not been spared. The crisis has come in the form of falling...

Oil, oil, every where! Watch this space--in the not too distant future, Uganda too will become a major oil producing country. Large reserves of good quality oil have just been discovered in the north of the country, reports Agnes Assimwe from Kampala.(UGANDA)
March 1, 2009... Five days after swearing in as president in January 1986, President Yoweri Museveni received officials from Shell BP and Exxon into his office. They wanted an oil exploration licence. "My question to them was whether there was anybody in Uganda...

Time to break free: Ifa Kamau Cush wants African countries to be more streetwise in these days of global economic meltdown. "Pay no attention to IMF economic models. In times of meltdown, use your own head," he admonishes.(OPINION)
March 1, 2009... As the global financial maelstrom washes away corporate value, leaving in its wake the detritus of such former financial giants as Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, AIG, Nortel and Citigroup, etc, African governments should take heed and ignore...