The OAU 50 Years On: Ambitious Dreams, Painful Realities

From May 24-27, 2013 the Organization of African Unity and African Union celebrated its golden jubilee during a special summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In an attempt to get candid views and sentiments on the state of the AU and what the future holds Ahmed Salim, who was in Addis during the summit and attended some of the proceedings, spoke to various diplomats, current and former officials of the OAU and AU, members of civil society and other stakeholders. This is what he observed.

The Death of A Prime Minister: Can Africans Have It All?

I was honored to travel with the Tanzanian Presidential Delegation to Addis Ababa for the state funeral of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Quotes from this piece are from a variety of people including diplomats, politicians and long-time followers of Ethiopian politics. I purposely did not include the names of those quoted in this piece, except for when I asked for permission.

Africa In 2060: A Vision From Tunis

The African Development Bank is the designated “new” influential player in town and has produced a report that describes its vision of what Africa will look like in 2060. What it says and does not say is very telling and provides a valuable insight into what policy advice the Bank will be dispensing to regional governments today, and where its money will be deployed in the service of the future.