David Alexander Robinson, "Chinese engagement with Africa: The case of Mozambique" (Portuguese Journal of International Affairs, No. 6, Spring/Summer 2012): 3-15.
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Uganda's Yoweri Museveni and the East African Federation
Vasco Martins
The East African Community (EAC) is again under the spotlight, as the supposed deadline for becoming a federation is closing in, compounded by Uganda's President Yoweri Musevena's statements concerning his role in the creation of the project. The EAC represents Africa's latest attempt to form a regional federation, which would be comprised of Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. The idea is to politically unite the five countries into the East African Federation until 2015. Having already established a common market for goods, labor and capital, a common currency is also expected to be adopted no longer than 2012, representing the ultimate step in building an economic federation.
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ECOWAS and the Brazilian foothold in Africa
By Pedro Seabra
SEPTEMBER 2010 -- As his second term gradually comes to an end, President Lula da Silva seems keen on leaving a noticeable legacy in Brazil's foreign policy. Amidst an overreaching agenda it has been the consistent improvement of ties with the African continent and Brazil's newfound role in South-South international relations that has won him the widespread praise and respect of developing nations.
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By Paulo Gorjão
The Portuguese Secretary of State for Defense and Maritime Affairs, Marcos Perestrello, told yesterday that Western Africa could face the same sort of problems that exist in Eastern Africa. In order to overcome the risks, NATO should deepen its multilateral and bilateral cooperation with sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, he also emphasized that Portugal could play a relevant role. The Portuguese Defense Minister, Augusto Santos Silva, made a similar statement last April. During the Roosevelt Forum, held in the Azores, he emphasized the Portuguese potential role regarding NATO and the South Atlantic.
The list of potential problems erupting from the African continent is known: illegal immigration, drug trafficking, arms trade, human traffic and terrorist attacks, among others. Thus, as Vasco Martins pointed out, self-interest dictates that NATO could play a relevant role in securing its internal space, but at the same time projecting sufficient influence to change these areas both domestically and regionally.
Indeed, NATO could -- and should -- play a role as security partner rather than as world policeman, as the Portuguese Foreign Minister, Luís Amado, pointed it out. Yet, it is still unclear if NATO’s new Strategic Concept will embrace this challenge. The list of problems is known, but the threat perception is still low. I am afraid that, as usually, reactive strategies will probably prevail upon preventive approaches.
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