If forests are properly managed and harvested, charcoal could be a renewable energy source that does not destroy the environment. Charcoal is one of the most important commodities in sub-Saharan Africa. In southern and East Africa, the tall, stiff sacks of charcoal propped up by the side of road are one of the most ubiquitous sights when driving along even remote rural roads; likewise, the evening smell of any town is always partially composed of the smoke of charcoal fires. According to the most recent estimates by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Africa produces nearly 60% of…
Simone Haysom
Conflict and urbanisation Post-conflict governments endanger reconciliation and reconstruction when they ignore or flatten their swollen cities Conflict in sub-Saharan Africa in the past few decades has not only devastated rural villages and created sprawling refugee camps, it has also transformed the cities and towns where terrorised peasants have sought safety and opportunity. Though the sprawling slums created by unplanned urban growth may be visible from the offices of state authorities and international aid providers, these organisations have not addressed the link between conflict and urbanisation. This neglect compromises post-conflict reconstruction, squanders opportunities for development and risks breaking an often…
African Union: diplomatic failures Supranational African organisations have failed to resolve violent conflicts without Western help Conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, Somalia and South Sudan highlight the impotence of international and regional organisations to quell violent crises on the continent. Skirmishes are still erupting in the DRC and Somalia. In South Sudan a civil war that reached a ceasefire in January has erupted once again. Despite elections in Mali held in July 2013, sporadic clashes continue in the west African Sahel. These ongoing battles underline the failure of the African Union (AU) and in Mali’s case,…
