In the last blog entry, I talked to Ambassador Vicki Huddleston who suggested that America should focus on training and supporting African forces so they can battle extremists in the Sahel. In the wake of the Boston bombings, questions have arisen about immigration and the process of assimilation in the United States. We’re all trying to … Continue reading »
When the French first intervened in Mali, Ambassador Vicki Huddleston penned an Op-Ed in the New York Times outlining reasons why the U.S. should assist France in fighting the terror group Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Huddleston was the United States ambassador to Mali from 2002 to 2005 and urged the U.S. not to intervene … Continue reading »
Africa on the Agenda: Conference on World Affairs in St. Petersburg Initiated by Douglas McElhaney, a former ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2004 to 2007, and hosted at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, the first annual St Petersburg in the World Conference was held from March 28 to 29. The conference brought together … Continue reading »
Africa Talks: A conversation with Ahmed Hussein Adam In a phone interview, Africa Talks caught up with Ahmed H. Adam, a visiting scholar at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights. To learn more about Ahmed H. Adam, you can click here. Here’s a brief biography adapted from information on the school’s website: Born … Continue reading »
It’s one thing when politicians talk blithely of the consequences of war and another to hear it from someone who has been in a combat position. If there is any politician who is aware of the cost of war, it is John Kerry. During the Vietnam War, he had shrapnel pierce his left arm and left leg and was again wounded in his … Continue reading »
I was fortunate enough to talk to Al Jazeera today and I tried to give critical overview of current developments in Eritrea. Since it was short notice and I didn’t have enough time and preparation to fit all my notes during live interview, I have decided to post the video and a couple of thought-provoking points worth mentioning in … Continue reading »
Crush-Hopper: Story of a Girl’s Journey Through Post-Apartheid South Africa Crush-Hopper is South African Mandisa Haarhoff’s autobiographical story about a young girl. This is a girl who first learned about beauty by playing with dolls who had long blond hair and blue eyes. She is a giddy and joyful girl who has a soft spot for … Continue reading »
The French took the plunge and began attacking Islamist militant groups in Mali this week after regional leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) hesitated for months. The instability in northern Mali dates back nearly a year and yet, until now, no agreement on a foreign intervention strategy could be reached. That stands … Continue reading »
This article was written by Armin Rosen, the Atlantic‘s International Channel producer and was originally published here. Eritrean information minister Ali Abdu, who is rumored to have defected this past week, helped build one of the world’s strictest systems of media control. Eritrea sits on some of the most important real estate in Africa, occupying a thin … Continue reading »
It has been quite a week here at Africa Talks. After the Op-Ed titled “Susan Rice and Africa’s Despots” was published on Monday in the New York Times, I have received varied reactions from different sources including journalists in the mainstream media, scholars and diplomats. Many of them came to Ambassador Susan Rice’s defense. But most importantly, the … Continue reading »
