Weekly Reading List [2.1.13]

A couple of weeks ago John Kerry said something that I found very interesting. He said, "China is all over Africa. I mean ALL over Africa...They're in places where we're not in the game and we've got to be in it." In light of China's own growing economy, and their habit of buying up our big debt, and their lack of concern for human rights, I think this is VERY important. A few days prior to that Secretary Clinton said "This pandora's box of weapons coming from North Africa...is one of our biggest threats." She also insisted that more attention needs to be paid to AFRICOM, because she predicts increased demands in the future. 

In a report, "The Next Chapter, President Obama's Second Term Foreign Policy" in their summary they state that "In the coming years, US foreign policy is likely to be driven more by economic, developmental and diplomatic tools rather than military ones. When the military is engaged, Obama will tend towards its targeted use through such mechanisms as drones, Special Forces and action in cyberspace. Given the strong desire by the US public to pull back military forces, and their high cost, Obama is very unlikely to deploy them in large numbers except as a last resort." "The challenges and contraints that the US will face in projecting power abroad will also make it more important, and more likely, that the US will seek to collaborate with key partners, international institutions and other stake holders in order to achieve its objectives." I think we are already seeing this policy trend taking shape in the current conflicts (Libya, Syria, Mali, Yemen, etc.) 

I could go on and on with stories, stats and commentary both positive and negative, and I wonder will 2013 be the year of Africa?

• AFRICA: CLINTON ANNOUNCES $86.5 MILLION IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

• EMERGING CHALLENGES IN AFRICA REQUIRE FLEXIBILITY

• US WEIGHS BASE FOR SPY DRONES IN NORTH AFRICA

• AL-QAEDA IN AFRICA: AFTER ALGERIA AND MALI THE DIE IS CAST FOR NEW STRUGGLE AS TERROR SPREADS LIKE A VIRUS

• MANAGING MALI

• ERITREA: WHEN IS A MUTINY NOT A MUTINY?

• TRAPPED BETWEEN AFRICA AND SAUDI ARABIA

Check out some of these social enterprises and indivisuals who are doing amazing work in Africa - 

Catapult Design

IDEO.org

The Witts

As Louise Arbour from the International Crisis Group said, "If Africa's dividends of democracy, prosperity are not shared, they can trigger a huge conflict." From the cross-roads which way will the continent go?