Chatham House Africa Programme

News & Events October 2008

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Commissioner Louis Michel on AU, China & EU ( Brussels )9 October
Somalia: ‘The Forgotten People’ 13 October
Power-Sharing and the Future in Zimbabwe 16 October
Book launch: ‘Ending Aid Dependence’ 4 November
African Women on Human Rights & Development 7 November

Publications:

Sierra Leone a Year after Elections: Still in the Balance.

Briefing Paper – Tom Cargill

www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/658/

Piracy in Somalia : Threatening Global Trade, Feeding Local Wars

Briefing Paper – Roger Middleton

Launched Thursday 2nd October, www.chathamhouse.org.uk


South African Judiciary: Threat to Justice

Word Today Article – Martin Plaut

www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1815/


South Africa’s Leadership: Uncertain Future

World Today Article - James Hamill

www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/1817/

News:

President John Kufuor of Ghana has been voted winner of the 2008 Chatham House Prize and will visit London at the end of October to collect his award from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. The prize honours President Kufuor for his tireless and selfless mediation in multiple crises across the continent during his chairmanship of the African Union in 2007. The Chatham House is awarded annually to the statesperson who is deemed by Chatham House members to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

Over the past month we have had several private roundtables, including a meeting with former Cote d’Ivoire Prime Minister Mr Charles Banny, who assured the invited audience that elections would go ahead and the result accepted by the people of Cote d’Ivoire . Earlier in the month The Africa Programme hosted a meeting on US policy in the Great Lakes region, held under the Chatham House Rule with Ambassador Joyce Leader, senior Coordinator for the Tripartite plus process, and Karl Wycoff of the State Department’s Central Africa Office.

Meetings:

Entry to these expert meetings is restricted. Experts and interested individuals should apply via the email address below. Only receipt of a confirmation email from Chatham House allows entry to meetings.

Places are limited & Chatham House reserves the right to restrict access to any of its meetings without notice or explanation. Attendees may be required to present photo identification at any time.


If you would like to apply to attend please email Donald Temple at dtemple@chathamhouse.org.uk stating your name and affiliation.

Thursday 9 October 2008 1600 – 1800,

Held jointly with the Brussels Institute of Contemporary Chinese Studies

Please note this event takes place at the Campus of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Campus Etterbeek, auditorium D2.01, building D (Pleinlaan 2, Brussels).

Cooperation between the EU, AU and China

Speaker: Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development & Humanitarian Aid

Chair: Alex Vines , Director of Regional & Security Studies, Chatham House

A vital part of any European strategy towards Africa is to deal with its main partners. China is obviously one of them. The rapidity and scale of China ’s charm offensive is challenging the EU to develop a partnership that suits both its own interest and the long-term development of Africa . At this conference, European Commissioner for Development Louis Michel will clarify the necessity of trilateral cooperation. He will also explain the EU’s expectations and proposals towards China in issues like security, the development of Africa ’s infrastructure and the sustainable management of the abundant natural resources.


Monday 13 October 2008 1200-1300

Somalia: ‘The Forgotten People’ – Film and talk

Speaker: Abdisalam Guled, Freelance Journalist

A freelance journalist who has recently returned from several weeks in Mogadishu and southern Somalia , Abdisalam Guled will present some of his documentary, ‘The Forgotten People’, filmed during his trip. The film shows the dire security situation and humanitarian suffering of the Somali people. Guled stayed in the infamous Bakaara market during his time in Mogadishu and witnessed life in the city first hand. After the film he will discuss his findings during his time in Somalia .

Thursday 16 October 2008 1330-1430

Power-Sharing and the Future in Zimbabwe


Speaker: Stephen Chan, Professor of International Relations, School of Oriental and African Studies
Discussant: Dr Knox Chitiyo, Head, Africa Programme, Royal United Services Institute

With the conclusion of fraught negotiations, a power-sharing government of sorts will attempt to lead Zimbabwe forward. Thabo Mbeki's hesitation at critical earlier stages of the negotiations was in part due to his judgment that Morgan Tsvangirai did not have the capacity to lead a country. What changed? What is the future with Tsvangirai at the helm? Professor Chan and Dr Chitiyo will offer an analysis that attempts to answer these questions and look at what the future may hold for Zimbabwe .

Tuesday 4 November 2008 1700-1800

Book Launch: ‘Ending Aid Dependence’ by Yash Tandon

Speaker: Yash Tandon, Executive Director, South Centre

Yash Tandon explores the possibilities for change in the architecture of aid in his new book ‘Ending Aid Dependence’. Developing countries reliant on aid want to escape dependence, and yet appear unable to do so. This book proposes ways developing countries can free themselves from aid that has had varying degrees of success. Tandon argues in his book that exiting aid dependence should be at the top of the political agenda of all developing countries.


Thursday 7th November 2008 1330 – 1500

Voices of African Women

Key speakers include:

· Pauline Dempers from Namibia (NGO Forum and IANSA Women’s Network)

· Miriam Machaya from Zimbabwe (Family Support Trust, and Christian Aid)

· Alice Ukoko from Nigeria (Women of Africa )

· Jeanine Ngungu from D.R.Congo (CAUSE COMMUNE RDC & WILPF DRC group)

Co hosted with Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, this will be an opportunity to hear the perspectives of grass-roots African Women campaigners on vital issues for Peace, Human Rights and Development in Africa . The event will be echoing many of the issues that were raised by women during the Accra International Women Forum on Aid Effectiveness and the recent 22nd September UN General Assembly-backed Forum on the development needs of African women who are a vital part of efforts to achieve the global anti-poverty targets but millions of them are experiencing violence, exclusion and discrimination as everyday realities.

The work of the Africa Programme is principally supported by:

FCO, SHELL INTERNATIONAL, BHP BILLITON , SABMILLER, BG GROUP, SAVE THE CHILDREN, BP, ONE WORLD ACTION , ROC OIL, BANCO AFRICANO DE INVESTIMENTOS, DE LA RUE, DEBEERS, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, MARATHON, MWANA AFRICA, LIMJE, ANGLO AMERICAN, STATOILHYDRO, EXXONMOBIL, CHRISTIAN AID, CRS, GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, GOVERNMENT OF NORWAY, CHEVRON, GOVERNMENT OF DENMARK, REVENUEWATCH, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, VIRGIN NIGERIA, DFID, THE STAVROS NIARCHOS FOUNDATION



Many thanks for all your support.





Best wishes,



Tom Cargill



Assistant Head, Africa Programme

Chatham House

The Royal Institute of International Affairs

10 St James’s Square

SW1Y 4LE

0207 957 5718