Stories about Development from July, 2008
Russia: USAID Russian Style
LJ user epopov ru comments on (RUS) an article in today's Kommersant, claiming that Russia is to set up its own foreign aid agency, modelled on American USAID.
Angola: Goodbye to Kinaxixe Market in Luanda
Anabela Quelhas [pt] is extremely sad to have witnessed Luanda's Kinaxixe Market being demolished. She lists 10 reasons was this 50's market was an important building for Angolan architecture and people, concluding: “Once more, cultural asset is outweighed by the language of money and speculation”. A modern shopping center is...
Ukraine: “No Place in the EU”?
A Fistful of Euros critiques a “wince-inducingly stupid article” on Ukraine written by “Richard Wagner, a Transylvanian German writer. (Well, former Transylvanian. Like most T-Germans, he emigrated from Romania as soon as he could get out.)”
Angola: Important books to understand the country
Diário da África [Africa Diary, pt] posts a list of important books for those who want to learn more about Angola. Some of them, such as ‘Angola: Anatomy of an Oil State’ by Tony Hodges, are in English.
Russia: Projecting Demographic Development
Da Russophile presents and evaluates various models for projecting the demographic development of Russia.
Haiti: Quest for Freedom
The Haitian Blogger publishes an article from the Haiti Action Committee Website that “expresses…the aspirations of many Haitian activists who are endeavoring to see Haiti regain its sovereignty and ability to be a self-sustaining, viable and thriving democracy.”
Cuba: July 26th
This past weekend, on July 26th, Cuba marked the 55th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago that came to be recognised as the start of the Cuban Revolution. Bloggers react to President Raul Castro's much-anticipated speech at the event.
Mozambique: Why our leaders never use our hospitals?
Custódio Duma [pt] comments on the news that Mozambique's Defence Minister Filipe Nyussi was evacuated to South Africa after having his arm injured in a traffic accident. “Last week I heard the Health Minister say at the RDP Africa that Maputo Central Hospital has now world-class wards… So: Why is...
Zambia: Most owned ICT assets
What are the most owned ICT assets in Zambia?: “The Central Statistics Office (CSO) 2006 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey (LCMS IV) results in Zambia indicate that the most owned assets were the radio at 55.6 percent, Cell phones at 24.2 percent and Television at 24 .1 percent while the least...
China: Turbulent
Buxi from Fool's mountain translated a blog post from Tianya “China feels very turbulent” part I and part II.
Russia: Cost of Living in Moscow
Two-Zero writes about the cost of living in Moscow – for expats and for locals.
Serbia: New Instructions and Law Regulations on Online Privacy
On July 21, Serbia’s Republican Agency for Telecommunications posted a Document of Instructions for Technical Requirements for Subsystems, Devices, Hardware and Installation of Internet Networks on their official web site. This news didn’t go unnoticed yesterday in Serbian blogosphere and internet community, as many bloggers expressed various opinions as well as disapproval because of the potential abuse of users’ privacy.
Jordan: Aqaba's Developments
Jordanian blogger Naseem Tarawnah visits Aqaba, the only Jordanian port with direct access to the Red Sea, and writes about the developments he witnessed there.
Sierra Leone: Fashion designer Adama Kargbo
Naijagal comments on the work of Sierra Leonan designer Adama Kargbo, who returned to her country after studying in the US to create a fashion line called Aschobi (photos included in the post). She says: “Sierra Leone isn't the first place you'd think of finding couture, but the country is...
Africa: Failed States Index
Codrin Arsene of the African Politics blog comments on the recently released Failed States Index for 2008, noting that “seven out of the ten most failed states in the world are from Africa, namely Somalia (1st), Sudan (2nd), Zimbabwe (3rd), Chad (4th), the Democratic Republic of Congo (6th), Cote D’Ivoire...
Cuba: July 26
Raul Castro is scheduled to address his fellow Cubans this weekend and speculation is rife about what he might say. Child of the Revolution: “I hope Castro II announces for instance, that free and fair multi-party elections will be held in Cuba within the next 12 months.” Generation Y: “The...
Cuba: Glorious Future?
Both Child of the Revolution and Ninety miles away…in another country take issue with a series of articles in the Christian Science Monitor speculating about Cuba's economic future: “It is particularly galling that the resourcefulness they all laud as the sign of a changing Cuba is a harsh expedient forced...
Central & Eastern Europe: IMF Policies and TB Deaths
Eternal Remont draws attention to a recent study from Cambridge University claiming that IMF's policies in Eastern Europe during the 1990s implicitly caused the deaths of some 100,000 people from tuberculosis.
Africa: Until when the white man's burden?
Sam O. Okello, guestblogging at Kumekucha, wonders for how long Africa “will remain the white man's burden”. In his post, that caused quite a debate in the comments section, he urges: “The time for Africa to rise up is now”.
Mozambique: On nationalization and its impact nowadays
On July 24 1976 the Mozambican government nationalized all privately owned industries. “After 32 years, what do we make of the process of nationalization and its impact nowadays? Do buildings and business still belong to the Mozambican state? Were they returned to their owners? If not, who are the new...
Nigeria: On the Sovereign Wealth Fund
Solomonsydelle of Nigerian Curiosity writes about the country's Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), which is “a state-owned investment fund composed of financial assets such as stocks, bonds, property or other financial instruments.” And she wonders: “Will the SWF be maintained and its funds used in a means that advances Nigeria's interests...
